Does Fluorescent Material Emit Radiation?

Luminous paint refers to a type of material that can emit various colors of fluorescence in the dark, and is divided into two types: self-luminous type and light-storage type. The basic composition of the self-luminous material is radioactive material, which does not need to absorb energy from the outside and can continue to emit light. Its radioactivity may cause some harm to the human body (depending on the composition), so it is more restricted in application; while the light-storage type materials rarely use radioactive materials, mainly by absorbing external light energy and then slowly releasing it, so enough light energy must be stored to ensure continuous light emission for a period of time. The use is basically unlimited, but the brightness is not as good as self-luminous materials. In recent years, light-storage materials have developed in the direction of non-toxicity and no radiation. Light-storage materials obtained by sintering rare-earth elements of aluminum and barium-strontium systems with high temperature and the brightness is hundreds of times that of traditional materials.

 

Reflective materials are widely used in various traffic signs. The earliest Chinese American scientist Dr. Dong Qifang developed directional glass beads, and then various reflective cloths and reflective coatings came out one after another. In fact, the current traffic signs are divided into two categories: one is completely reflective material, which means that the incident light is reflected back to achieve warning purposes; the other is photoluminescence, which not only reflects light glow in the sticker, but also radiates when exposed to light. The photon appears more eye-catching than ordinary reflective materials, such as chalcogenide materials. These materials usually do not produce harmful radiation, but as for whether it is chemically toxic, it depends on the specific ingredients.

 

If you go to an idol concert, a glow stick is an essential standard. But there are rumors that fluorescent materials in glow stick have a certain amount of radiation to the human body. How strong is the radiation of fluorescent materials? Fluorescent materials can emit light because they have been irradiated with electron beams or rays during the production process. Some materials will absorb part of the light energy and emit a visible light after being processed in this way, and then become our familiar fluorescent material. The glow sticks that must be used in festival evenings and various concerts are mainly composed of three substances: peroxides, ester compounds and fluorescent dyes. After shaking it a few times, the peroxide reacts with the ester compound, and then transfers the energy to the fluorescent dye, and finally the dye emits fluorescence, and the whole process will not emit rays that may harm the human body. Although the glow stick in the dark will not emit harmful rays, the liquid inside is not edible, so the contact with the skin, especially the eyes, should be avoided as much as possible.

 

In fact, the A4 paper we usually use may also add a fluorescent material, because this can make the paper look whiter. There is no radiation of this paper. As long as the paper is not eaten into the stomach, it is harmless to the human body.