Hey all, we wanted to thank you all for the support. Orders have been flooding in for our Europium UltraGreen Glow Powder, it's hard to keep up! We've tried nearly every glow powder on the market and Europium UltraGlow is the only one deserving of the United Nuclear name.
A few facts about Glow Powder:
All 2nd generation glow powders will use a Strontium Aluminate base. Rare earth metals are added as doping agents to really make the glow pop. Europium and Dysprosium are common for greens & blues. Some pigments (White and Orange) use Molybdenum. Companies that specialize in Zinc Sulfide scintillators will use the periodic table as their playground, ranging from Lutetium to Yttrium. These metals are absolutely necessary for competitive phosphorescent compounds.
First generation glow powder uses Zinc Sulfide. These compounds don't hold a candle to Strontium Aluminate. Some colors such as Red & Pink are only available in Zinc Sulfide since we haven't mastered the SrAl chemistry of those wavelengths yet. The race is on for anyone who can produce a nice Crimson Red that lasts for more than 15 minutes.
Our glow powder will be viewable for up to 48 hours in perfect 'center of a coal mine' conditions. In the real world, it's viewable for up to 10-12 hours (depending on the pigment). Ambient light is the enemy as this will detract your ability to perceive the glow. This is why we always recommend that you start small to make sure that your imagination isn't selling you on an idea that isn't physically possible. I often tell our customers "Its called glow in the dark powder for a reason, not glow in the light".
You can mix glow powder with nearly anything so long as it dries crystal clear. Our customers have used everything including acrylic, epoxy, casting resin, countertop sealer, urethane, lacquer, oil-based paints, acrylic based paints, latex paints, fabric glue, nail polish, fiberglass resin, superglue, and so on. Glow powder is typically rated for 600C or higher (ask your supplier for exact info) so we've seen it used in glass furnaces as well. What you CAN'T do is dissolve glow powder as it must retain its crystalline shape in order to actually glow. It's recommended that you stay away from solvents & paint thinners.
What ratio gives the best glow performance? Simple: the ratio that allows the most amount of glow powder per unit area. Put differently, people who make glowing Gun Sights and Fishing Lures will want to make a glow paste that contains as much glow powder as their mixture will physically fit. There does exist a saturation point where added layers do not increase glow performance, so we always recommend that you conduct small scale experimentation to see where that point exists.
Most of all: Have fun! Glow powder is incredibly engaging and fun to work with. We have over 15 years of experience with the stuff and its always been one of our most popular items. If you're not sure if this will work with your project feel free to reach out to us, we're more than willing to help. Some of our favorite phone calls have started with "I'm not sure if you're the right guys to talk to about this but I have a crazy idea..."
A few facts about Glow Powder:
Regards, Zack