What Are Ultraviolet Curing Lamps?
Ultraviolet curing lamps are used by professionals in nail salons to harden gel nails. They are also used in the printing industry and in factories to harden inks and epoxies. These lamps range from small portable units to large industrial machines. Does this Spark an idea?
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Ultraviolet Light
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The spectrum of light that we see is only part of the full spectrum. Humans can only see colors that range from red to violet. Ultraviolet light's wavelengths are beyond this range.
How Curing Lamps Work
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The bulbs in an ultraviolet curing lamp emit ultraviolet light. Some liquids that are exposed to the ultraviolet light harden because of a chemical reaction. For example, liquid nail gel, some printing inks, and liquids that are used as industrial coatings have chemicals in them that react with ultraviolet light, causing them to harden.
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Ultraviolet Gel Light Use
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Nail technicians use ultraviolet curing lamps to harden gel acrylic nails. Liquid acrylic, gel, is applied to natural nails and held under an ultraviolet curing lamp for approximately three to five minutes to harden. This strengthens natural nails. Ultraviolet curing lights are also used in storage containers that salons use to hold metal implements, such as nail clippers and cuticle pushers. The curing lights help prevent bacterial growth.
Industrial Use
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Industrial uses include the curing of epoxies and other materials. The same principles are used in these applications as in nail technology, even though they are used on a much larger scale. A chemical that reacts with ultraviolet light hardens when exposed to a curing lamp.
Use in the Printing Industry
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In the printing industry, chemicals are incorporated into ink. When the ink is exposed to ultraviolet light, it "sets" and does not run.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Claudia A. De La Garza
