NurdRage - 2010-01-10
In this video we make triboluminescent or smash-glow crystals. Triboluminescence is the phenomena where light is generated when something is rubbed or fractured. The exact mechanism by which triboluminescence works is still under investigation, but the best theories so far propose that the breaking of the structure causes charge separation that release energy upon recombination. This energy is picked up by nearby atoms, in this case europium, and released as light according to their ionization or fluorescence spectra. Many substances exhibit triboluminescence including sugar and tape. But Europium Tetrakis (Dibenzoylmethide)Triethylammonium is one of the strongest available and its glow can easily be captured by a camera. It's made by mixing 100mL of Ethanol, 2.93g of dibenzoylmethane, 1.4g of europium nitrate pentahydrate and 1.9mL of triethylamine. The mixture is heated until everything dissolves and then allowed to cool slowly to obtain crystals that are filtered off and washed with ethanol. After thorough drying they are ready for use. A frequently asked question is if this stuff is hot when it is used. The answer is no, the crystals do not undergo a chemical transformation and thus they do not release or consume heat, but remain at constant temperature. There may be some small heating due to friction when they are broken, but that is not from the crystals or a special property of triboluminescence.
Dude, your videos are awesome! And I'm learning, so it's a rather odd combination...
@mrhomescientist I used pure ethanol with a bit of benzene contaminant (from azeotropic distillation). I don't see any problems with methanol, but i didn't try it myself. The light is quite visible and is brighter with greater/faster grinding with the spatula. So i think it would be visible in a dark auditorium. I reccomend trying it a few times first. The newer/bigger the crystals the greater the flash. BTW, good job on the fire compilation video.
Maybe you could use them as a catalyst for photochemical reactions?
Awesome :) I don't really understand anything in these videos but they're still really fun and interesting to watch. By the way, what are the crystals used for or are there no real uses for it yet? I'm sorry if it was said in the video but I think then I missed it :S The subtitles are useful though.
@NurdRage Hey thanks for the response and support. I'm glad that project came together - we had a lot of great material filmed, and it was fun to be a part of. It might be a while before I get to try this experiment, but when I'm able I'll let you know how it goes. I really want to try it.
that is so cool I'm a civil engineering student, and I work in a concrete lab, I wonder if you mixed it with concrete, would it glow were cracks will form?
I forgot to ask: Do you know if the smashing reaction works in a vacuum?
It would be useful to provide some references or info on the distillation with benzene you mentioned.
I'm looking into making these crystals for a science demonstration show I do, and I was wondering if your ethanol was pure or denatured. Since it's just a solvent, I assume it doesn't matter if there is some methanol present? Do you think this is bright enough to be seen from a stage in a darkened auditorium, or is it better for close-up demonstration? Thanks!
How awesome would a dancefloor of this stuff be in the dark. I'd personally love guitar strings coated with it. The Blue Man Group should use this stuff too.
i love how scientific he is and then at the end "a tennis ball or socccer coated with this stuff... that would be sweet"
@NurdRage - Have you tried sonicating the crystals while still under etoh or in another liquid it is insoluble in? I bet this would produce brilliant tribolum. You wouldn't even have to go through the steps of filtering and drying at all, just redissolve, crystallize, sonicate until effect disappears > repeat. Plz try and show us!
I would love to see a street covered in this stuff then walked on, maybe from a high vantage point like a roof that would be awesome ;o
Can you use this dust to grow bigger crystals? Will shattering these crystals result in light? And if yes, how could this be done?
you could maybe use these crystals for fiberoptic preasure sensors though i dont know if the would cost effective
What other chemicals can be used to make the crystals glow a different color?
What if you made some of this stuff produce ultraviolet light, and then used your microwave phosphorescent powder, and combined the two, and coated a tennis court with it. Then, wouldn't you be able to see exactly where the ball struck the ground for a period of time afterwards?
I want to say yes but for a short while if it does work
Seeing your vids makes me want to change my major to Chemistry..then I get back in the real world that I rather work hard to be a lawyer..than a chemist. But I am considering Physics though..either way all 3 are hard.
Can you do some more videos of smash glow crystals of different colors beside the copper one after you're done with the chloroplatanic acid demonstration???
Some mints (not the sugar free kind) also show triboluminescence. Try the wintergreen flavour Life-Savers, or Extra Strong Mints if you're in the UK.
Quick quesion: Can you mail me the company(ies) you order your chemicals from? Life Save mints exhibit this form of luminescence when crushed. :) (Blue-ish light)
@chromatichouse primarily the fluorescence of the molecule. As seen here the crystals flouresce red/orange and that's their triboluminescent color. Wintergreen is methyl salicylate, which fluoresces a weak blue.
This one was very interresting and awesome!
Gosh, you're going to make me like and favorite every single one of your videos, aren't you?
A set of instruction that comes with a prescription item I have come glues together,when pulled apart in the dark the glue gives of a brilliant purple flash,imagine my surprise when i first noticed this!
Can the colour of the light produced by crushing it be altered?
+NurdRage Will using 95% dry denatured ethanol have an effect on the crystal formation or cause them not to work?
Lol, that be sweet!!!! Man, just out of curiosity, it would be nice if you could include a ball park figure of ingredient costs, not including supplies. I'm referring to all you great videos not just this one in particular. Thanks again...
Would it be possible to use compounds like these to initiate a persistent fluorescent light that goes on for hours? Could you for example use it in a role of tape that starts to glow when you pull it apart. You could use this to make glow in the dark markings on for example door frames. Or to initiate a fluorescent chemical in paint ball ammunition?
how large can these crystals grow, if you doubled the recipe and left it for say a week?
I've tried hundreds of different candies, and while i could see the effect myself. my camera just isn't good enough to record it. i invite anyone with the right equipment to record it to please post a video.
Is that an original concept made by you? Because that's absolutely genius if so! Good on you. If it isn't, good on you anyway for spreading the idea!
it could be used to monitor minute movements in motion sensitive materials
Since it only really works 'once', it would be more of an indicator of critical strain before failure of the component though.
I have heard of an easier way but haven't tested it yet: mix sugar and methyl salicylate better known as wintergreen oil and crystallize it. And there u have it, blue smash glow crystals. :)
I wonder what happens if you manage to put them in an hourglass... Will it glow every time they fall?
You need to get a blu-ray laser for fluorescence experiments!
do you think it would be safe to coat this stuff on paintballs or bbs? i can imagine it would be mad expensive, but it would be cool when you got shot. i've never tried any of your experiments(im not an experienced chemist even though i wish i was) and i dont know how safe this stuff would be.
What will it take to produce a different-coloured glow? I'm a bit partial to green, actually...^_^;;
cool video. i remember seeing another science video that created light, something called "the barking dog". but dont really remember much of it. do u have any video that can be useful for emergency? or maybe a science project that can be placed on the computer desk to just play around with everyday?
0:50 SoulStorm Brew! Lol.
I can only imagine that Deepak Chopra and his ilk who believe in homeopathy, magic, psychic, crystals, quantum woo, etc. would see this as evidence of energy crystals' effectiveness.
So the destruction of the large crystalline structure is slightly weaker than the formation of a smaller crystalline structure, so it releases a slight bit of energy into the florescent europium, which converts the energy into light? Quite an interesting reaction. Definitely one of my favorites you've shown.
wouldn't it be a good idea to keep the filtered off ethanol? that you don't waste your product in recrystallization?
hehe, actually that's all the equipment in the lab, including computers, glove boxes, vacuum pumps, fridges and fume hoods. I've since been recording in quieter areas with better microphones so i've all but eliminated that annoying background noise. ^_^
I think the little bit of heat they could produce is immediatly given into the air or the container... But I think more heat is produced by crushing them or by grinding them between two glass sheets
also known as SMASH GLOW CRYSTALS i so love that part:))
Unfortunately the europium makes it a bit pricey I would suspect. However, adding crystals of this material to transparent plastics (epoxies or thermoplastics) may give a plastic that lights up when under strain. Might be useful if you want to monitor stress/loading in-situ, without the need for a pair of polarizers.
have you tried this synthesisation method with dysprosium rather than europium? im wondering because you made the dysprosium nitrate also, if not do you reckon it would glow green/yellow due to the shorter wavelengths of dysprosium? i want to make a a hacky sack that has a plug to allow recrystallisation :P
i could see this being used as something to scatter on the floor in a dark room (given you have large quantities of this) to track someone walking in
Zidel333 - 2010-01-11
Awesome video as always. You guys make me wish I was a chem major. :P