The glowing walls in the apartment are modern, unusual, in a word - very original. Only now neon luminous paint in stores is not for sale. Consider whether you can make such a paint yourself.
- A little about the phenomenon of luminescence and its effects
- How to make ordinary paint glow
- How to choose the type of self-luminous coatings
- We make neon paint ourselves
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, the luminescence is caused only when the phosphor is exposed to an external radiation source - electromagnetic or ultraviolet. So the cathode ray tubes of television receivers or fluorescent lamps shine.
Learn more about the features. phosphor paints.
There are two types of phosphors:
- Substances of organic origin, which are based on derivatives of naphthalic acid. Their glow occurs under the influence of ionizing radiation. A characteristic feature of organic phosphors is their ability to produce short flashes.
- Inorganic phosphors that are created on the basis of crystalline phosphorus compositions and have the ability to continuously glow.
Phosphor compositions are widely used in the manufacture of self-luminous toys, in car tuning, for the manufacture of Christmas tree decorations. Most of these materials are non-toxic, and therefore the proximity of a person to phosphors does not do him any harm.
The choice of the type of phosphor at home is determined by the effect that you want to get. If you want to make constant illumination (for example, the walls at the garage, which adjoins a dark opening), it is better to use crystallophosphorus applied to work clothing. However, a constant glow often creates inconvenience, especially if it is bright and intense.
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How to make ordinary paint glow
There are several ways to ensure the effect of luminescence at home. You can, for example, purchase a self-luminous paint, in the composition of which the phosphor components are already dissolved. Often this paint is 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 get artificial and natural light (this is mandatory), which is accumulated by acrylic enamel, and then radiated into the outer space after dark. The radiation process usually lasts from 8 to 12 hours - a period sufficient to ensure that the room is again filled with external light. In this case, the surface layer of paint again stores energy that it will give back in the evening.
Since the process is cyclical in nature, the destruction of the phosphor components does not occur, and the emissivity of the paint can be stored 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 is impossible to make, for example, a multi-colored glow of walls imitating neon in the room.
At home, it is much easier to make such a 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:
- High frost resistance (which is more relevant when painting cars, but it is quite acceptable if using these pigments to paint part of the wall of a dark hallway or utility corridor, basement, attic).
- Chemically neutral, therefore, do not cause dermatitis and allergic reactions. This is especially valuable if the phosphor pigment is supposed to be added to illuminate part of the wall of the children's room.
- Do not collapse under the influence of high temperatures (most compositions are stable up to + 30 ° C). But in case of direct sunlight falling on the wall, it is better, nevertheless, to close the wall painted with acrylic paint with phosphor additives, curtains or a thick curtain.
- Suitable for work both indoors and outdoors.
- The warranty period of the phosphor pigments is 25-30 years.
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 color of the paint may differ from the desired.
In any case, before drawing up a 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 get.
to contents ↑How to choose the type of self-luminous coatings
Technology will be determined by the ultimate goal. You can, for example, use such paint to highlight part of a picture or a 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 the ultraviolet rays looks especially impressive when illuminating the facade of the house. Such pigments themselves do not glow. In order to create a “neon” glow of the exterior, it is necessary to direct there a sufficiently powerful ultraviolet lamp or even a spotlight with a UV filter. Such a decision is expensive and difficult to implement.
Phosphors can glow on their own: for this it is enough to direct the light flux to the surface for 20-30 minutes. Energy is accumulated by retro-reflective material and then is given into the surrounding space. Before this, it is worth choosing the right color of the phosphor so that the glow does not irritate the eyes and harmonizes with the general color scheme of the room.
Reflective pigments glow steadily if external light is incident on them. Such staining is advisable to make for highlighting dark areas of the household territory, focusing the light directed onto the painted wall with the help of reflectors or mirrors.
to contents ↑We make neon paint ourselves
At home, the basis is taken acrylic, as the most safe. However, when painting with your own hands PVC panels, polyurethane paint is usually used. The process of obtaining self-luminous paint itself is as follows:
- In a glass or ceramic container, varnish is poured, where pigment of a pre-selected color is added. The concentration of pigment depends on the desired degree of effect, but usually should not exceed 25-30% of the base.
- Since the density of the composition will increase, then a little (up to 1%) of the organic solvent should be added to the container, after which the paint should be thoroughly mixed.
- To make the luminous composition more intense, a little dye can be added to the paint.
- When painting with your own hands, it is necessary to constantly mix the composition, since phosphors are heavier in weight and can fall to the bottom of the tank. As a result, the color will be uneven.
Preparing the walls for painting does not have any features.
It is important that the original surface is uniform in texture and clean. It should be noted that on lighter surfaces the effect of self-luminescence of the walls will be more expressive.
Therefore, it is better to make a light primer on the original surface with your own hands before painting it.
In reality, these paints do not have a long light output. Maximum 1-2 hours descending. That is: brightly dull after all. Physics cannot be fooled. It is impossible to accumulate light energy in a small ball as much as it receives from the outside. And no matter how many layers of paint you apply. All lumenophore balls have the same diameter and the light output is the same.
Of course, it doesn’t matter. The brightness increases with increasing thickness, but until a certain point, then paint at least 10 times, nothing will change. And about the long light output. A lot depends on the quality of the paint or components, if it is done at home. In any case, when buying, it is better to make sure of product certification, then everything will be fine with the glow.