2 years, 10 months ago
What chemical reaction causes the glow of a glow stick?
I need a very decriptive answer on this, so If you don't know it, don't bother answering it. I think I may be on the right track if this has anything to do with hydrogen peroxide oxidizes and the phenyl oxalate ester, resulting in a chemical called phenol and an unstable acid ester. And then the chemical decomposes causing....? And thats where I get confuzzled :) So, if you can help, please do, thanks!
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M$1 Answer
"The glow stick contains two chemicals and a suitable fluorescent dye (sensitizer, or fluorophor). The chemicals in the glass vial are a mixture of the dye and diphenyl oxalate. The chemical inside the plastic tube is hydrogen peroxide. By mixing the peroxide with the phenyl oxalate ester, a chemical reaction takes place; the ester is oxidized, yielding two molecules of phenol and one molecule of peroxyacid ester (1,2-dioxetanedione). The peroxyacid decomposes spontaneously to carbon dioxide, releasing energy that excites the dye, which then relaxes by releasing a photon. The wavelength of the photon—the color of the emitted light—depends on the structure of the dye."
Glow sticks are fascinating, no doubt. I hope this helps!
Glow sticks are fascinating, no doubt. I hope this helps!
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
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