Well, its not really a neon sign. There is no transformer, no glass tubing, and no neon gas. I simply extracted the dye from a Sharpie Accent Highlighter. Once diluted with water, and transferred to aquarium plastic tubing in the shape of the word, it comes to life. The light used is ultraviolet blacklight. In this case, a small LED UV flashlight. The dye is exhibiting fluorescence, which is the absorption of light in one wavelength, (Ultraviolet) and re-emission in the visible spectrum. The dye is easy to obtain as the following photo shows:
After removing the end cap and the fiber insert containing the dye, use a razor to cut the insert. I use distilled water but any kind will work. About 1 cup works well, but more can be used if necessary. The dye is fairly safe but the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) does not identify the dye. See MSDS here: I have seen other demonstrations with this dye, so look around on the net and have some fun. The next post will cover another easy to use fluorescent dye. Brilliant!
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