Latex gloves Ventilated goggles (lab goggles) Long sleeves Face mask A clean, tidy work station Clean glass tubes or containers with matching lids.
You may have to dig around a bit online to find these chemicals. Chemistry giants Alfa Aesar[1] X Research source and Sigma Aldrich[2] X Research source are two great resources. If you double the solvent, then you should double the rest of the ingredients below.
9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene for green Rubrene for yellow 9,10-diphenylanthracene for blue Rhodamine B for red (note: rhodamine decays quickly, meaning reds tend to fade fast). Mix half yellow, half blue to create white.
9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene for green Rubrene for yellow 9,10-diphenylanthracene for blue Rhodamine B for red (note: rhodamine decays quickly, meaning reds tend to fade fast). Mix half yellow, half blue to create white.
The TCPO is used instead of luminol in this method – it’s the component that makes the mixture glow and it lasts for hours. TCPO is incredibly carcinogenic, and should be handled with care. Never inhale TCPO.
The hydrogen peroxide is an activator, not part of the reaction, so you won’t need much. When you buy glow sticks, the “crack” noise to activate them is breaking a little glass vial of hydrogen peroxide.
Listen up, kids: You’ll be working with a solution that’s near a 12 on the pH scale. That basically means don’t swallow it, don’t put it in your eyes, don’t bathe in it, and don’t really expose yourself to it directly at all. Got it? Moving on.
Hydrogen peroxide is used to replace the luminol’s nitrogen atoms with oxygen. When that happens, all the substances create a rave and start partying and electrons fly everywhere and what results? The glow.
Yep, unless you’re a coroner or some sort of crazy spy/criminologist you probably don’t have this stuff lying around the house (hopefully not. . . ). If you’re dead set on starting your own glowstick business (worse ideas exist), try websites like Alfa Aesar[1] X Research source or Sigma Aldrich[2] X Research source for supplies. Mix everything well. Don’t use your hands – use a metal or plastic utensil of some sort.
Yep, unless you’re a coroner or some sort of crazy spy/criminologist you probably don’t have this stuff lying around the house (hopefully not. . . ). If you’re dead set on starting your own glowstick business (worse ideas exist), try websites like Alfa Aesar[1] X Research source or Sigma Aldrich[2] X Research source for supplies. Mix everything well. Don’t use your hands – use a metal or plastic utensil of some sort.
If it’s not already glowing, something went wrong. Do over!
The reaction that the luminol and hydrogen peroxide creates doesn’t last long at all – maybe a couple of minutes. For something that lasts hours, go to the next method (which is a lot easier to facilitate if you have access to a laboratory, but it’s still worth mentioning).
