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Author: Subject: Fluorescent Glass
ShadowWarrior4444
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[*] posted on 13-7-2008 at 01:22
Fluorescent Glass


While sweeping some of my glassware with UV, one of the test tubes decided to glow a particularly lovely blue color. What might be the cause of this?



Perhaps some rare-earth contamination at the glassblower...

[Edited on 7-13-2008 by ShadowWarrior4444]




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not_important
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[*] posted on 13-7-2008 at 06:30


Possibly cerium used as a decolouriser or added to make UV blocking glass.
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12AX7
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[*] posted on 13-7-2008 at 07:38


Kinda looks like electron bombardment in hard vacuum of some glass I have.

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ScienceSquirrel
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[*] posted on 14-7-2008 at 04:16


I have some uranium glass, small pieces such as marbles and antique bead trays are readily available on eBay.
With a hand held UV lamp this is a good quickie experiment to impress after dinner as it fluoresces a beautiful light green.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium_glass
Most bank notes have UV markings as well and tonic water fluoresces a beautiful blue.
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chemkid
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[*] posted on 14-7-2008 at 16:47


I have a whole page devoted to fluorescent items on my website (not sure how up to date it is). I really find it fascinating. Milk will fluoresce green likely from free riboflavin and well as denatured albumin protein (scrambled eggs). Vaseline fluoresces blue/green. I should check my glassware with my lamp!

As for mechanisms...probably rare earths, or maybe a actinides? Got a Geiger counter?

Chemkid




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Nick F
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[*] posted on 10-8-2008 at 05:03


Could be divalent Europium, that's a common blue phosphor.
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[*] posted on 10-8-2008 at 06:59


Cerium gives a blue-white fluorescense, and has been used in both in UV absorbing glass and to decolour glass.
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ycheff
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[*] posted on 19-10-2008 at 04:12


Thulium (3+) gives blue color of luminescence.
Vanadium has absorbtion near 700-725 nm and glass has royal-blue color.

[Èçìåíåíî 19-10-2008 ... ycheff]
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JohnWW
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[*] posted on 21-10-2008 at 00:45


Quote:
Originally posted by ycheffVanadium has absorbtion near 700-725 nm and glass has royal-blue color.

Royal-blue stained glass is usually made with cobalt oxide added to the melt.
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