Making glow sticks from scratch

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Today I will be making some glow sticks from scratch. First I have to make a common glow stick chemical called TCPO. Then, I'll combine the TCPO with a few other chemicals to make some homemade glow sticks.

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[vincejohnm]

Hi Nile Red. Dye chemist here. This is a great video but I just wanted to give some commentary about the dye concentration you used. Fluorescence is highly efficient and more concentrated solutions (even just a few mg) will self quench the fluorescence. It may seem counterintuitive, but try even less dye for more light output. Dye molecules are flat and nonpolar and will form non fluorescent aggregates at high concentrations. This is a static quenching mechanism. Dyes can also deactivate excited neighbors through collisions, so-called dynamic quenching.Colder solutions will also be brighter due to decreased thermal deactivation of the excited state. This may not be noticeable though because dye excitation in a glow stick is based on local collisions in a reaction mixture where reaction kinetics determine light output. Higher temp will give faster rates therefore more light output. I would be curious to see if you could achieve comparable brightness in a fridge with the added benefit of extending the life of the glow stick. Keep these videos coming!

[rafalsitar]

me: "shakes a glowstick"
Molecules inside it: *WOW IM EXCITED*

[giorgiar]

Me, from the yt recommendations: "ohh cool i can make glow sticks"

Me, 40 seconds into the video: "oke, I can not make glow sticks"

[UmVtCg]

I once watched a guy drink a the content of a glowstick once at a rave party. I'm here to find out if he survived.

[DXstarman]

I prefer radioactive materials in my glowsticks

[BlaineJacobs-tc]

I watched this with my parents, and they informed me that I drank the glow part numerous times as a child and it explains a lot

[Zanroff]

I like that glow stick isn't quite perfect. It makes me appreciate how much work has gone into making them better for the market versions.

[NurdRage]

Crap, now i have to cancel my glow stick video plans. hhehehe

but nice work!

[khalsasikhpunjabda]

The best thing about you is that you know you are a genius and brilliant but still so humble and down to earth. Kudos man.

[Onio_Saiyan]

I love how he says "sigma" with a tired annoyance. He hates buying from sigma.

[thedrakonishe]

it's nice to know that the molecules in the glowsticks get excited, bc I'm also excited to see them glow

[mortlet]

Wow, congrationlations on getting ALL THE WAY UP, Nile!
You know you have ARRIVED when you're able to buy from Aldrich as an individual... 👍

[REIBAHLE]

These videos have not only taught me more than school but it’s is super relaxing. Please keep making more. Your the science goat of you tube Nile

[jasminebedard]

I absolutely love your videos. I'm not an expert of any kind in chemistry, in fact, I'm at my last year in high school, but I have a strong interest in chemistry and I learn so more and more everytime I watch your videos. Continue making great content it's sooo interesting :)

[morsine]

I always hated chemistry, but since i found ur page, i started loving it.! Thanks!

[dancoulson]

It might be interesting to have two spray bottles with the chemicals in, and then spray them in the air next to each other in a dark room. I am curious o see if it would make a glowing cloud where they meet in the air?

[louloudaki_]

your glow stick is such a nice color and it’s so bright, woah

i really like the color

[username]

awww yea nile red getting lit with the glow sticks

[davidb]

When we were using them extensively in the Army in the 80's -- calling them "chem sticks" -- I never realized how recent of a marvelous invention they were. The patent for the design with the glass inside was only issued in 1976. These must have contributed a terrible toxicity to the landfills after being used.

[BronzeManul]

I feel like NileRed actually has the mind of an 11 year old in the body of a chemist. Glow sticks! Soap! Nylon! 'Let's so if any of these acids will hurt if I spill some on my skins!'