Glow Sticks, Chemical Reaction Basis Makes Them Unique Lighting Tools

As you may already know, glow sticks generate light from a simple chemical reaction. Here are the details. The chemical reaction uses two elements: hydrogen peroxide as the activator and phenyl oxalate ester as the other element. The beautiful color comes from a fluorescent dye, and almost all colors can be made. The common ones are red, green, blue, purple, orange, yellow, white, and pink. Other unique color can be custom made in the lab. There are two compartments in glow stick. The inner compartment is a brittle glass ampoule containing the activator. Outside the inner compartment is the solution with phenyl oxalate ester and fluorescent dye. The inner brittle glass ampoule is broken easily when one snaps a glow stick. The glowing duration varies based on the solutions.

Glow sticks are also noninflammable, wind proof and waterproof. These features make glowsticks perfect lighting source in emergency situations such as gas leak, blackout and road site emergencies. A glow stick does not require electrical power source to produce lights. This makes them convenient lighting source at outdoor activities such as camping.

The chemical liquid inside is not toxic, however, it may still cause irritation of skins and leave stain on floor and furniture. Also an activated glow stick contains broken glass ampoule with sharp edges. Therefore, a user should avoid from cutting glow sticks open to get the liquid out. Excessive bending will also cause leaking.

Light and heat in most situations come together. After you turned on a desk lamp for a while, you can find it quite heated. The candle light even brings the flames. In special situations, these lights are not safe. For example where there is gas leak and explosive danger, neither a flashlight or candle light is safe as the spark may possibly ignite the gas. Glow sticks are reliable light for these explosive situations. Their light is chemiluminescence and is cold light with little heat.