Posted on : By : stardustcolors Posted in : economic|Informations|Products|security

Phosphorescent paint in towns to save energy

Phosphorescent paint in towns to save energy

This article deals with the solution of phosphorescent road paint and photoluminescent markings, for exterior pedestrian zones and the marking of paths and obstacles, following the extinction of street lights in the city during the night.

With the increase in electricity prices in France, many municipalities have implemented switching off public lighting at night. This rather radical measure was necessary, it not only avoids high bills and it has a significant beneficial ecological impact. Not to mention the end of nighttime pollution.

Certainly some nocturnal pedestrians will naturally feel a little less safe in the dark streets, but in return they will be able to rediscover the magnificence of the starry sky, forgotten for too long!

The phosphorescent solution to light up French cities* at night

It is the company Arco Iris SAS, a small company based in Gard in 2009, specialist in Europe for all photoluminescent products, which made a name for itself by offering town halls an urban phosphorescent paint and a complete catalog of innovative solutions, durable and “luminous”! (their site: phosphorescentpaint.co.uk *)

Photoluminescent products are also called phosphorescent, and their main property is to shine or be visible in the dark, after having been charged with light, or light energy, during the day.

Used successfully indoors, in buildings, factories, or even boats, all these phosphorescent products are the ideal solution to improve the safety of people moving in the dark outdoors, in cities after dark .

5 reasons to use phosphorescent road paints for urban marking

1/ phosphorescence is an extremely durable phenomenon, which does not suffer a drop in performance over time. The old paintings present in the Second World War bunkers in Normandy are still functional after 80 years!

2/ These products are economical, and relatively easy to install, whether they are photoluminescent road paint, nails, strips, or stones or gravel. They can be adapted or created for each type of surface, floor, walls, corners, posts, etc.

3/ Photoluminescent products are ecological, because they are first of all manufactured without radioactive products and without toxic products. And they require no energy source other than that of the sun during the day. They also do not require maintenance, other than simple dusting.

4/ In a dark environment, they allow you to mark obstacles, indicate steps or corners, or even mark out a path.

5/ During the day, these photoluminescent markings are discreet. Very discreet, so much so that they are almost invisible, since their daytime appearance is colorless. Only in complete darkness do they become bright and visible.

A variety of photoluminescent equipment for town halls for marking paths in a nocturnal atmosphere

For floors, there are phosphorescent road paints. These are extremely durable paints that can be applied to almost any surface.
There are also phosphorescent arrows, but also stones, nails, or photoluminescent gravel.

Urban phosphorescent paints can be applied to vertical surfaces, such as walls, poles, or all types of obstacles: they thus reduce the risk of falls. They are also suitable for stairs, tunnels and sports areas. They are resistant to trampling, sun and rain

There are also many types of strips, based on PVC, plastic, aluminum.

If you want more information regarding photoluminescent road paints, specially designed for cycle paths or pedestrian paths, or if you wish to create equipment specially designed according to your requirements, contact our company service by email. (info@photoluminescent.fr)

Posted on : By : stardustcolors Posted in : Uncategorised

Shedding light on photoluminescence

Shedding light on photoluminescence

Fluorescence, phosphorescence and black light are terms that are often confused.

These three different names have all different effects and are all members of the photoluminescence family.

Photoluminescent paints refer to all types of paints which molecules are excited by light and which re-emit the energy absorbed as visible light.

StardustColors manufactures a wide range of photoluminescent paints.

 

 

 

·       Fluorescent paints

They are well known for their « flashy » colours and are used in many fields.

Main characteristic: Display intense colour during the day.
Located in a visibility area, they have the unique ability to catch the public eye thanks to their bright intensity.

What are fluorescent paints ?
They absorb the light and reflect it immediately.

 

 

The most seen colours of the light spectrum to the human eye:

– during the day the human eye is sensitive to colours  from yellow to orange

– while during the night, or at nightfall, green is best perceived

StardustColors manufactures 7 fluorescent colours: white, purple, pink, red, orange, yellow, green and blue !

Note : Fluorescent paints react very strongly under black light.
Note : They are semi transparent.

·       Phosphorescent paints

They work in much the same way as fluorescent ones, except that they release slowly the light.
The phosphorescent molecules, made out of natural materials, are excited by any source of light, and slowly release the energy in the form of phosphorescence.

Main characteristics: Invisible during the day, but clearly visible in total darkness

    

StardustColors produces by far the largest range of colours in Europe with 7 colours available : purple, blue, blue-green, green, orange, red, white.

StardustColors can help you through your project, to produce all kind of phosphorescent materials such as plastics, fabrics, adhesives and various objects.

Note: Some colours such as purple seem less strong, as their wavelength emission make them  difficult to detect by the human eye. They are the shortest wavelength of visible light.

·       Blacklight paint

They are also called ultraviolet or Blacklight.

These products have the particularity of reacting to waves ranges between 365 and 395nm (ultra violet light).
When exposed to UV blacklight,  the paints, that were invisible, suddenly display bright colours.
Lamps, neon lighting or blacklight LED are usually used.
Used mainly in some recreational activities or in scientific fields or for security purpose (bank notes) they are quite recent.

Main characteristics: Invisible during the day, they become visible in total darkness

StardustColors creates 6 colours: yellow, pink, red, purple, blue and green (all invisible when exposed to blacklight).

Advantage: They don’t fade and their glow stays up through the entire night.
Disadvantage: They don’t resist to daylight.

 

·       Infrared ink

Latest innovation from StardustColors, this special invisible technology, applied to scientific and medical use, glows very brightly (green) under a source of infrared light (980nm)

For further information, please contact us at : infos@stardustcolors.com

Posted on : By : stardustcolors Posted in : Uncategorised

Learn all about phosphorescent paint

Learn all about phosphorescent paint

StardustColors is a leader in Europe in the manufacture of photoluminescent paints and materials.
 Our products are aimed at private individuals and at safety, design and architecture professionals.

What is the aspect during the day ?

Our phosphorescent paints are more or less colourless and transparent during the day. The most colourless ones are the purple, the white and the red. While green and blue green are of a greenish white colour.

What is their lifetime ?

Our photoluminescent products are from the latest generation and thus have a very good resistance to UV and an estimated lifespan of 15 to 25 years. Our special polyurethane formulation gives them an incomparable solidity.

 

 

 

 

 

PU paints for outdoors are suitable for floors and walls, are perfectly liquid-proof and resistant to chemical products, can bear temperatures above 150°C. Be careful with the support used: different substrates require different adhesion primers in order to get a quality work : Wood, Aluminium, Metal, Plastic, Paint, Concrete…

StardustColors manufactures a second version, ultra concentrated : the SIGNAL phosphorescent paint.

The composition of this remarkable paint is the same, and allows to obtain a phosphorescence 2 times stronger.

On what depend the intensity and duration of

phosphorescence ?

– On time: The luminosity curve (see the table below) shows a decline with time. After several days the residual phosphorescence will be reduced to nothing.

–On the thickness of the coat of paint: The thicker it is, the more it will absorb light. To be more specific, the more coats of paint are applied, the longer the phosphorescence will last and the more intense.

–On the type of colour : Some colours last longer and have a stronger intensity: the strongest one is green, followed by blue green. The other colours are of medium (red, white, blue) or of low intensity (purple).

–On the light source : The phosphorescent paint needs enough natural or artificial light sources to charge.

–On the ambient luminosity: The phenomenon of phosphorescence will appear in total darkness. A parameter to take into account, as in some high luminous places (e.g., The city at night with urban lightings), it will lose all or part of its luminosity.

–On the temperature : It’s a criteria to bear in mind because the cold slows down the molecules that produce phosphorescence, while heat makes the molecules excited !

– On the colour of the background: Phosphorescent paints being transparent, they reach their maximum intensity when applied over a white background. On the other hand, a black background will limit their intensity to the minimum.

NEW:
 Stardustcolors is the first company that proposes a polyurethane paint which is 100% water based and solvent-free, and which displays the same resistance qualities. This version is ideal for an indoor application, odourless and without toxic fumes (stairwells, schools, hotels…)