DIY glow in the dark paint. How to make glowing liquid and other tricks. How to create paint yourself

Glowing walls in the apartment - it is modern, unusual, in a word - very original. Only neon glowing paint is not sold in stores. Let's see if you can make this kind of paint yourself.

A little about the phenomenon of luminescence and its effects

Any materials that are treated with phosphors - special substances containing phosphorus or zinc sulfide compounds can glow in the dark. In some cases, glow is caused only when the phosphor is exposed to a source of external radiation - electromagnetic or ultraviolet. This is how cathode ray tubes of television receivers or fluorescent lamps glow.

There are two types of phosphors:

Substances of organic origin, based on naphthalic acid derivatives. Their glow occurs under the influence of ionizing radiation. Feature organic phosphors - their ability to emit short-term flashes.
Inorganic-based phosphors, which are created on the basis of crystal phosphorus compositions and have the ability to glow continuously.

Phosphor compositions are widely used in the production of self-luminous toys, for tuning cars, and for making Christmas tree decorations. Most of these materials are non-toxic, and therefore the proximity of a person to phosphors does not cause him any harm.

The choice of the type of phosphor at home is determined by the effect you want to achieve. If you want to make permanent lighting (for example, the walls of a garage that is adjacent to a dark opening), it is better to use crystal phosphorus applied to overalls. However, a constant glow often creates inconvenience, especially if it is bright and intense.

How to make regular paint glow

There are several ways to achieve the luminescent effect at home. For example, you can purchase glowing paint, in which the phosphor components are already dissolved. This paint is often called neon, although there is no neon there. The glow is created by the luminescent pigment contained in ordinary acrylic paint.

The effect of such a pigment is as follows. During the day, such paint should be exposed to artificial and natural light(this is mandatory) which accumulates acrylic enamel, and then radiates into outer space as darkness falls. The radiation process usually lasts from 8 to 12 hours - a period sufficient for the room to be filled with external light again. At the same time, the surface layer of paint again stores energy, which it will release in the evening.

Since the process is cyclical, no destruction of the phosphor components occurs, and the emissivity of the paint can be maintained for a long period of time. However, such paints are quite expensive, and in addition, they have a very limited palette of shades. Therefore, it may be impossible to make, for example, a multi-colored glow on the walls in a room that imitates neon.

At home, it is much easier to make such neon paint with your own hands. To do this, you need to purchase a set of luminescent pigments. They have universal application, and therefore have the following positive features:

Self-luminous additives include chemical compounds that dissolve well not only in acrylic, but also in other types of household varnishes (alkyd or polyurethane). The varnish must be transparent, otherwise the final paint color may differ from the desired one.

In any case, before creating self-luminous paint at home with your own hands, you should first check the final effect on a small and invisible part of the wall, where external light will constantly fall.

How to choose the right type of self-luminous coatings

The technology will be determined by the end goal. You can, for example, use such paint to highlight part of a painting or panel on a wall, or you can use it to paint a large area of the surface. Depending on this, the type of fluorescent pigment is selected.

The glow in ultraviolet rays looks especially impressive when illuminating the facade of a house. By themselves, such pigments do not glow. In order to create a “neon” glow of the exterior, it is necessary to direct a sufficiently powerful ultraviolet lamp or even a spotlight with a UV filter there. This solution is expensive and difficult to implement.

Phosphors can glow on their own: to do this, it is enough to direct the luminous flux to the surface for 20-30 minutes. Energy is accumulated by reflective material and then released into the surrounding space. Before this, you should choose the right color of the phosphor so that the glow does not irritate the eyes and is in harmony with the overall color scheme rooms.

Reflective pigments glow continuously when exposed to external lighting. It is advisable to do this type of painting to illuminate dark areas of the garden area, focusing the light directed onto the painted wall using reflectors or mirrors.

Making your own neon paint

At home, the base is acrylic, as it is the safest. However, when painting PVC panels yourself, polyurethane paint is usually used. The process of obtaining self-luminous paint is as follows:

Varnish is poured into a glass or ceramic container and a pigment of a pre-selected color is added. The pigment concentration depends on the desired degree of effect, but should usually not exceed 25-30% of the base.
Since the density of the composition will increase, a little should be added to the container (up to 1%) organic solvent, then mix the paint thoroughly.
To make the luminous composition more intense, you can add a little coloring agent to the paint.
When painting with your own hands, it is necessary to constantly stir the composition, since phosphors are heavier in mass and can fall to the bottom of the container. As a result, the color will be uneven.

Preparing walls for painting does not have any special features.

It is important that the original surface is uniform in texture and clean. It should be noted that on lighter surfaces the self-luminous effect of the walls will be more expressive.

Therefore, it is better to make a light primer of the original surface with your own hands before painting it.

Possessing an unusual property, luminous luminescent and fluorescent paint can reveal your most interesting design fantasies and make them come true. Due to its qualities, the paint is used in various fields. It has a wide range of shades and is suitable for any surface. Plus, you can make neon paint yourself.

Luminescent paint, types and properties

Luminescent paint is divided into two groups: colored and colorless:

Colored enamel. It glows at night, but during the day it looks like simple paint. It contains a phosphor and color.
Clear varnish. Painted surface with clear or translucent varnish in daytime almost invisible, and in the dark it glows with a yellow or blue tint. Apply on top of any design.

Luminescent paint has different performance characteristics due to its basis and is divided into several types, these are:

The lime-yellow pigment looks pale during the day, but in the dark it has the brightest glow of all shades.

Composition of luminous paint, principle of operation

Glowing paint consists of varnish And luminescent pigment (luminophore). The principle of its operation is simple: the phosphor, having accumulated light during the day from external sources, begins to release it at night, giving any painted surface a bright glow. Depending on the saturation of the paint with phosphor, how bright the glow will be depends on; the greater its concentration, the brighter the object shines. It takes 20 minutes to accumulate energy, and the surface will glow for up to 8 hours.

Unlike phosphor enamels, which are charged from any lighting, fluorescent enamels work only from ultraviolet rays or special lamps are purchased to charge them. Glow in the dark paint containing phosphor is non-toxic, non-flammable and completely safe for humans, its service life is 30 years. Phosphorescent compounds contain phosphorus and work on the same principle, but they are rarely used and are used only for outdoor decoration, since phosphorus is hazardous to health.

Making luminous paint with your own hands from phosphor

To create your own paint with a glow effect, you will need a glass or ceramic container, varnish, varnish solvent, and a phosphor. To ensure that the enamel adheres well, choose a varnish that matches your surface. The phosphor is purchased in art stores or on the Internet. Light shades of powder are cheaper, such as white, light green, blue, pink. Bright, saturated colors are more expensive, these are red, green, blue. Despite the fact that the cost of the phosphor is quite high for a surface of up to 8 square meters. m. 100 gr is enough. powder. To make transparent enamel you need:

Pour 70% varnish into the container adding 30% phosphor;
Add up to 1% solvent to the finished mass, so the phosphor will be better distributed;
Mix everything thoroughly to obtain a homogeneous substance;
When adding color to the mass, a tint will appear on the surface.

The prepared enamel is stored and used in the same way as the varnish from which it was made.

How to make a phosphor with your own hands?

It may turn out that purchasing ready-made phosphor in a store is much cheaper than making it yourself. Therefore, you should decide how much enamel you need. If you decide to make it yourself, then to prepare the phosphor you will need a pine solution, boric acid and heat-resistant container.

It’s easier to buy ready-made enamel in a store than to carry out long experiments, making your own phosphor, achieving the desired color and intensity of glow.

Fluorescent paint

Fluorescent paint consists of transparent acrylic varnish and powdered dye pigment. It is also called invisible or ultraviolet, since it appears only under the influence of ultraviolet radiation. The fluorescent pigment is made on the basis of thermoplastic resins, therefore non-toxic and completely safe for humans. Suitable for painting any surfaces: glass, ceramic, wood, metal. It can be used on flowers and plants, as well as on human skin. The composition is practically not absorbed into the skin and is often used in one of the areas of body art. Its only drawback is that it doesn’t wash off well.

Where can you use glowing paints?

Suitable for wallpaper, plaster, glass and ceramics, metal and plastic surfaces. She heat-resistant, not afraid of frost, it is used for internal and exterior finishing , This:

Walls, ceilings and floors (starry sky, paintings, patterns, graffiti).
Sometimes painted various elements interior: furniture, window frames, doors, cabinets.
Road signs and fences.
Advertising signs.
Decorate theatrical scenery.
They create makeup and manicure with a glowing effect (body art).
Bicycles, motorcycles and cars.
IN landscape design(fences, gates, etc.).

When working with luminous paints, you should follow some recommendations:

Phosphorus is hazardous to health, so the room in which phosphorus painting takes place must be well ventilated.
If vapors enter the respiratory tract, consult a doctor.
It is necessary to observe safety precautions and work only with gloves, safety glasses and a respirator.
In order for the enamel layer to lay evenly, the surface on which it is applied must be smooth and dry.
Sometimes a phosphor deposit appears at the bottom of the paint can, so when starting work, mix the paint thoroughly.
After applying the first layer to the surface, you should wait 1.5 hours and only then apply the second layer of paint.
Pre-applied white primer will help give the product a brighter glow, since the dark surface will absorb the emitted energy.

Conclusion

By following a simple manufacturing process and certain proportions, luminous paint can be made at home with your own hands.

Glow-in-the-dark paints are quite expensive paints and varnishes that may not fit into everyone’s budget. Good decision may become DIY glow paint done. In terms of its properties, it will practically not differ from factory production. The money you save will have to be spent extra time for the production and search of all necessary ingredients and devices.

Glowing paint recipes.

There are three main recipes for making glowing paint at home.

First, using this recipe you can make paint with a purple glow. To make this luminous paint with your own hands you will need: 10 grams of calcium carbonate, 0.6 grams of magnesium carbonate, 3 grams of sulfur, 0.5 grams of sodium sulfate, 0.5 grams of potassium sulfate, 0.5 grams of sucrose, 0.5 milliliters of nitrate bismuth with a concentration of 0.5%. All these ingredients must be mixed and calcined at a temperature of 800 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes.

Second - this recipe will allow you to make DIY glowing paint, which emits green light. To do this you will need: 10 grams of strontium carbonate, 0.5 grams of sodium sulfate, 3 grams of sulfur, 0.3 grams of sucrose, 0.4 grams of borax, 0.5% solution of bismuth nitrate in a volume of 0.5 milliliters. All ingredients must be mixed and calcined at a temperature of 900 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.

Third, using this recipe you can obtain a composition that emits a green-blue glow. For preparation you will need: 16 grams of strontium carbonate, 3 grams of magnesium carbonate, 4 grams of calcium carbonate, 6 grams of sulfur, 0.8 grams of sodium sulfate, 0.3 grams of sucrose, 0.5 grams of borax, 0.5% solution of bismuth nitrate in volume 1 milliliter. The composition must be calcined at a temperature of 700 degrees Celsius for 1 hour.

To make luminous paint with your own hands from the compositions described above, you need to mix them with acetone in a ratio of 2 to 1. Where 2 parts are chemical composition, and 1 part is acetone.

If the recipes seem complicated.

If creating the required composition seems difficult or it is not possible to get some ingredients, then you can always buy glow in the dark paints. Their cost in hardware stores is approximately 700 rubles per 500-milliliter can.

Also, do not forget that, for example, you can buy one for a bicycle. They are cheaper, and they will do the job on the road just as well as the luminous ones.

Do you want to replenish your collection of impressions without leaving own home? For example, learn how to make glowing water, paint or shoelaces? Then experiment with us.

A liquid that sparkles in the dark always looks fascinating. It seems that such a miracle can only be found in a scientific laboratory or in the room of an ancient alchemist. However, we know how to make glowing water at home and with pleasure we will tell you about all the nuances of this amazing process.

Before we start making water that glows, we should learn the safety rules. After all, the main chemical substance that you will have to work with is luminol crystals. It is they that, when interacting with certain oxidizing agents, produce a glow, which is necessary. When interacting with reagents precautions should be taken.

Children conduct similar experiments in the presence of adults.
Must be worn protective equipment: rubber gloves, an apron, and in some cases a gauze bandage to protect the face and respiratory organs.
When working with chemicals, they should not be inhaled, tasted or allowed to come into contact with the skin.

However, an experiment to obtain a luminous liquid does not always require enormous effort. We will teach you how to make a luminous liquid from available materials, that is virtually no chemicals.

Making sparkling liquid: the easiest way

This method, in which we will create a glowing liquid without luminol, is completely elementary. What is needed for this:

water;
3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, which is contained in every first aid kit;
table salt, which is present in every home;
vinegar.

Mix all the ingredients until you get a liquid with a glow.

DIY glowing liquid without luminol

For this method we also need the most common components.

500 ml sparkling water;
1 teaspoon of soda;
3 teaspoons of peroxide.

Mix everything for 10 minutes.

How to make holy water with the addition of luminol?

And this method already requires application chemicals. You can do it liquid that will have a blue tint. To repaint it a different color, use fluorescent dyes.

So, to create the magic liquid we will need:

2-3 grams of luminol;
80 ml peroxide;
100 ml water;
3 grams of copper sulfate;
10 ml of sodium hydroxide solution;
fluorescent dyes.

Let's begin an experiment that will give us an incredible glowing liquid.

Step 1. Mix luminol and water in a glass container.

Step 2. Add hydrogen peroxide to this solution.

Step 4. And at the last stage - caustic soda.

If we couldn’t find all these reagents, let’s do glowing liquid based on washing powder.

Prepare 20 ml of washing powder solution in a tall glass.
Add 10 ml peroxide.
Pour 5 ml of 3% luminol solution.
Grind a few crystals of potassium permanganate and add to the container.

Be careful: the liquid tends to foam and produce sparks.

Besides these simple ways, we have a few in store for you interesting videos about how to make water with a glow.

How to make glow paint: bright magic in the dark

The next stage of our incredible experiments is paint that glows in the dark. We will make this miracle using phosphor. This miracle powder, which transforms energy into a bright glow, can be purchased at specialty store or on the Internet.

To get 1 kg of paint that glows, you need to mix 250 grams of phosphor and 750 grams of varnish.

There are other ways to prepare magical glowing paint.

To get purple paint you will need:

calcium carbonate – 10 g;
magnesium carbonate – 0.6 g;
sulfur – 3 g;
sodium sulfate – 0.5 g;
potassium sulfate – 0.5 g;
sucrose – 0.5 g;
bismuth nitrate (0.5%) – 0.5 ml.

Mix the components and heat at high temperature– 800 degrees for 45 minutes.

If you find it difficult to obtain any of the ingredients of this experiment or you cannot remember the name of this or that reagent, we offer you a way so that you can prepare a phosphor and use it to create glowing paint.

For this method, you only need to purchase pine extract and powdered boric acid.
We dilute the pine concentrate in a small amount of water. You will get a yellowish liquid called tartazine.
Now we dilute 1/3 spoon of boron powder in water until a creamy mass is formed.
Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring and piercing the bubbles.
Cool the mass, combine it with tartazine and heat everything up.
Boil this mixture, stirring, until a bright yellow powder forms. This is a phosphor.
It can be mixed with paint or varnish, or diluted with water.

Such luminous paint, created at home, completely safe for you and your health. It can be used to treat any surface: applied to plastic, wood, and even your own body. This paint can be used in a room on the walls to make them glow in the dark or applied to any object, creating unusual compositions. This is a wonderful idea for both indoors and outdoors. Fluorescent paint will give you a festive mood and a lot of impressions.

How to make glowing laces: a fantastic look for stylish shoes

The easiest way to get glowing shoelaces at home is dip your regular shoelaces in glowing paint. You learned how to prepare it above. However, such an accessory will stop glowing after two washes. Therefore, we will tell you about another way to make luminous laces with your own hands.

You will need:

silicone tube (about 2m), with a diameter that matches the diameter of the laces;
4 LEDs of different colors;
tube of liquid silicone;
4 miniature batteries.

Let's move on to the process of making the lace.

We divide the tube into 2 equal parts (1 m each).
Fill the pipe cavity with liquid silicone.
At each end of the pipe we attach one LED using a soldering iron.
Don't forget about correct location LED: the light bulb is inside and the wires are outside.
We secure the batteries by soldering them to the wires or fixing them between the wires with glue.
Take tweezers and carefully fix the battery between the wires. If you want the laces to glow only in the evening, make a small switch that will block the contact.

If you don’t want to waste time on all these manipulations, order yourself glowing ones from Aliexpress or any other service. We wish you bright impressions!

The most common request from people who want to transform their space and are thinking about cosmetic repairs, is a luminous paint. Many have heard about what it is and actively use it in their homes.

It is applied to walls, ceilings or things in the interior, adding individuality to your home. So, during the day the room looks normal, but at night it turns into a real one. fairy house with stars on the ceiling or beautiful flowers located on the walls.

Advantages

The paint has a number of advantages: it is durable, easy to maintain and easy to apply, and the effect is stunning. This great alternative night lamps. It is economical: the paint gains energy from daylight and releases it at night, thereby glowing.

It is especially popular when used in children's rooms., because this way you can create coziness, a feeling of comfort and safety. Children, as a rule, are afraid of the dark, and with beautiful luminous patterns it is easier for them to fall asleep and they feel calm.

Looking at various drawings, the child calms down faster and falls asleep, which has a great effect on his imagination and the development of creative abilities.

This paint is popular not only in construction, but also in various types creativity - be it creating face painting or decorating various objects.

This will add a touch of magic to any item or process.

What kind of miracle paint is this?

Paint, which will transform any object due to its glow, comes in two types - luminescent (also called phosphor) and fluorescent. Very often they are confused, making a big mistake.

Let's look at the characteristics that distinguish them:

Fluorescent paint is capable of glowing only under direct exposure to ultraviolet rays, which is why it requires special lamps.
Luminescent paint can glow on its own.

It is the latter that we will now talk about - this is the easiest way to transform space. No additional sources are required.

Operation

The name of the paint comes from the word “luminescence”, which means the ability of a special substance to glow due to its own energy. Special pigments called “luminophores” are responsible for this process. They accumulate energy in themselves during the daytime from the sun or from artificial lighting, and at night they delight our eyes with their radiance.

This process of receiving light during the day and releasing it at night is like a “perpetual motion machine”; it can work for many years. All that is required is to apply paint to the surface, and then the processes are activated independently.

Interestingly, energy is generated not only from bright sunlight, but also from any other source (flashlight, lamp, moonlight).

As for the duration of action, 15 minutes of “recharging” from an artificial light source provides energy for 10 hours of work in the dark with a gradual decrease in brightness.

Phosphor is a stable substance both physically and chemically, capable of lasting on the façade of a building for more than 30 years, not to mention internal surfaces. You can adjust the brightness of the glow yourself by increasing or decreasing the concentration of pigments.

The choice of the type of paint between luminescent and fluorescent is yours. They are similar in principle, differing only in the independence of their glow. Please note that the latter contain phosphorus, which is dangerous to human health. If they are used, then only for work on the outside of the building. Phosphor materials are almost completely safe.

Why is it needed?

This paint is in demand in the decor of rooms, interior elements or even wardrobes - you just need to apply it to the surface. In addition to the already known phosphor, it contains a transparent varnish. This is the basis of the material. Depending on its properties, there are paints for any surface - be it wallpaper, metal or plastic, ceramics or glass, wood or plaster - there are many options.

Luminescent paint is actively used in the following areas:

when painting the interior coating;
when decorating individual interior items;
in clothing (professional clothing, wardrobe decoration);
in road markings;
in improving cars;

Main types

All coloring compositions are divided into two categories:

Colorless paints, which are produced on the basis of completely colorless varnish. They can be safely applied on top of any design on an object.
Colored - paints that contain an additional coloring pigment - such as tint. During the day they cannot be distinguished from regular paint, and at night they appear and begin to glow.

In addition, there are other types of paints depending on their properties and characteristics:

Acrylic emulsions. They are completely safe and dry quickly. They can be used both in floristry and when applying makeup.
Polyurethane-mineral enamels. Mainly used for plastic.
Heat-resistant paints– can heat up to 500 degrees, so they are suitable for both glass and metal.
Waterproof paints– create a special waterproof film, due to which they are actively used in bathrooms and swimming pools.

How to do it yourself?

You don't have to rush to the store to get glowing paint. We can create it ourselves. There are two options - you can prepare the paint either from a ready-made phosphor or completely from scratch. Let's start with the first option.

Manufacturing from phosphor

You can purchase phosphor at a hardware store or order it online. It is not cheap, but you need very little of it: 100g of the substance can color 8 square meters surfaces. Basically, the price depends only on the chosen color. Light pigments (beige, light green) are a little cheaper, while brighter pigments (blue, green) are more expensive.

It is also worth remembering that the varnish must be selected for the surface that we will paint.

Method of preparing paint:

Pour the varnish into the container.
We add phosphor powder based on the proportion of 70% varnish to 30% coloring pigment.
Don't forget to add solvent - no more than 1%.
Mix the mass thoroughly.
If necessary, add color to give the desired shade.

The finished paint can be safely used and stored in the same way as varnishes of this type.

Making luminescent paint from scratch

If you have not found a phosphor of the desired shade or want to independent experience, you have to be patient. The process will be more complex and lengthy. It will be necessary to put in more effort, time, and also find special reagents. But the result will not be long in coming.

Here the main component will be pine extract, depending on its concentration we will get the desired glow effect.

To create paint we will need: