What is Pigment Photoluminescent?

Photoluminescent pigments (PL), also known as glow in the dark pigments, absorb/store light energy from natural or artificial lights and then emit this light energy as visible light when placed in darkness.

Luminescent pigments have applications in several fields such as safety signs, coatings, and textiles. They are non-radioactive and non-toxic.

Safety Signs

Pigment photoluminescent is a type of luminescent material that can be used for a variety of purposes, including emergency exit signs. These displays absorb and store light energy to function in a dark environment, without needing electricity. The sign’s glow diminishes after an external source of light is removed, but the glow remains long enough to guide people to safety.

They are a safe and effective alternative to other exit signage options, such as tritium-filled signs or LED-based displays. These signs are non-radioactive, non-toxic and require little to no maintenance. They also have a 25-year life expectancy rating (depending on brand).

These signs are an ideal choice for fire safety facilities and other buildings that have a high risk of fires or emergencies. They help to guide fire fighters and other emergency responders to the nearest exit, as well as provide a way to identify the exit in case of an accident or an evacuation.

They can be made of a variety of materials, from acrylic to aluminum. Some are washable and can be easily wiped clean. Others have a durable porcelain-enamel coating that resists forklift traffic.

Many of these materials are UL 924-listed, which means that they meet all required safety codes and standards. This makes them the best choice for safety signage in any facility.

The pigment is based on strontium aluminate, which is a naturally occurring mineral that has been known to emit light after being exposed to the sun or other artificial light sources. This phosphorescent pigment offers significantly higher initial brightness and longer glowing periods than zinc-sulfide-based products, which is why it’s a popular choice for many applications.

Another benefit of these signs is that they don’t require pigment photoluminescent electrical power, which can cut down on operating costs. They can also help to reduce your building’s carbon footprint, allowing you to qualify for LEED credits in some cases.

Lastly, these signs are a great way to make sure that your employees know what to do in the event of an emergency. They’re easy to install, so you can quickly mark emergency exits and routes.

Coatings

Pigment photoluminescent coatings are a popular choice for safety and other applications. They are based on phosphorescent pigments that emit light after they have been charged by exposure to sunlight, white lamplight or UV radiation, then dissipate the energy after a predetermined period of time. This type of self-emitting technology continues to make an impact on the coatings industry worldwide, particularly in safety signs and other interior coating applications that require illumination for prolonged periods of time.

Luminescent pigments are available in a wide variety of particle sizes and colors. They are suitable for a range of substrates and binders, and they can be combined with a number of other materials to achieve desired luminosity.

Coatings made with luminescent pigments are available in a variety of types, including phosphorescent, fluorescent and afterglow products. They are compatible with existing processing methods for paint, polymer and ceramic tile coatings and can be used for a variety of indoor and outdoor applications.

For exterior applications, it is important to choose a pigment that is weather resistant. Weather conditions such as sea salt, industrial waste gases or low humidity can cause deterioration of coatings containing pigments that have poor weathering properties.

The size of the particles is also important for a pigment’s performance. Larger particles generally settle faster than smaller ones. This affects the hide and settling characteristics of the pigment as well as its colloidal stability.

During the manufacturing process, primary particles are clumped together to form aggregates and agglomerates. These agglomerates and aggregates are not always easy to separate. They can also re-aggregate when the pigment is dried.

These agglomerates and aggregates can lead to a loss of tinctorial strength. In addition, pigment photoluminescent they can become difficult to handle. This can result in poorer color consistency, settling and shear resistance.

Several factors can affect the light fastness of a pigmented coating, such as the substrate being coated and the degree to which the binder protects the pigment from UV light. These factors can also be influenced by processing heat history and surface area.

Textiles

Photoluminescent pigments could be used to design glow-in-the-dark patterns on textiles, as an alternative to light-emitting diodes (LEDs), electro-luminescent wires and optical fibres. These fabrics could be widely applicable as functional textiles for decoration [2, 3], military facilities, communication and transportation and fire emergency systems.

Pigments have several properties that make them ideal for applications on textiles, including high reversibility, good photostability and long ionization time. They can be used to colorize textiles and provide them with durable, water-repellent properties. They are also inexpensive and can be easily applied to fabric through printing.

Despite the numerous advantages of pigments over other materials, a number of limitations remain. One of them is that a variety of different types of pigments are available, which makes it difficult to select the correct ones for a particular application. Another problem is that the size and concentration of these pigments are often dependent on the particular material that they are being applied to.

In addition, the properties of these pigments change over time, depending on the exposure to UV light and a variety of environmental conditions. This can lead to poor performance or even failure of the material if it is not cared for properly.

For this reason, it is important to ensure that the pigments are not exposed to too much sunlight. This can cause the pigments to break down, which will affect the luminosity of the product and will result in a decreased safety rating.

These problems can be addressed by applying pigments in a special manner, which is called “pulverizing.” The procedure of pigment pulverization is commonly used to prepare pigments that are more durable and resistant to wear and tear. It is especially useful in the case of materials with complex structures or surface textures.

In this study, three commercial types of pigments were evaluated for their potential as a screen-printed method to produce durable, photoluminescent fabric prints. Using SEM and EDX spectroscopy, the morphological characteristics of each pigment were determined. Moreover, elemental composition was assessed with FTIR spectroscopy. The results suggest that the yellow-green and violet pigments contain Eu-doped strontium aluminate, while the blue pigment is based on calcium aluminate.

Other Applications

Pigment photoluminescent has applications in many areas, including safety signs and way-finding systems in warehouses and underground stations as well as in high-stress marine and aircraft environments. These coatings are based on luminescent pigments, and they are applied to plastics, ceramic tiles, and coated glass and enamels.

The pigment is applied to a plastic or other substrate using a knifing process to coat the surface of the product with the pigment. This enables the pigment to be spread evenly on the product. This results in an evenly glowing surface of the product.

Typically, these luminescent materials are fluorescent dyes that absorb light and emit it slowly as a blue glow. Alternatively, the glow is produced by phosphorescent compounds that absorb light and emit it in green or red depending on the dye used.

Strontium aluminate has become the preferred photoluminescent pigment choice for safety items because it is non-toxic, reliable and offers the longest glowing timeframe. It is also the most environmentally-friendly option available to produce self-luminous safety items for fire and building egress identification, which is important given the increased demand for such products.

New luminescent technologies have been developed that can endure extreme conditions such as exposure to water, moisture, oxygen or strong acids without sacrificing their key performance characteristic of delivering a bright, long afterglow. These 4th generation luminescent technologies are derived from alkaline earth aluminates, and use europium as the activator, yielding improved brightness and afterglow compared to zinc sulfide luminescent pigments.

The development of these photoluminescent materials begins with research and development (R&D) that identifies the excitation and emission wavelengths, quantum efficiency, day/night color optimization. Then, the formulation is prepared in accordance with your specifications and industrialized using our expertise.

During the manufacturing of these materials, we control all production steps, including molding and bondering, to guarantee a quality product. This includes controlling the crystalline structure, optimizing the particle size distribution, and incorporating modern bondering technology. This protects the luminescent materials against damage and delivers better overall performance, with improved brightness and afterglow times compared to Zinc Sulfide luminescent pigments.