Homemade Neon Lights

Neon lights light up signs in businesses worldwide; they can also be made at home.

Neon lights have a distinct and vibrant glow, making them optimal for signs in business' windows. These attention-grabbing lights can be purchased from specialty stores or created at home using a few basic items and neon gas.

History

The first use of neon lights in a sign was by Georges Claude, a chemist and engineer from France. In 1902, he contained neon gas in a glass tube and ran an electrical current through it. His company, Neon Claude, brought neon signs to the U.S. in the 1920s.

Function

Neon signs use glass tubing bent to form shapes. The tubing is filled with neon gas, often in combination with other gases, to create different colors. For instance, to make a blue neon sign, neon gas is combined with a small quantity of mercury. Pure neon gas emits a red or deep orange glow. Other gases used to make neon signs include argon, helium and xenon.

Homemade Neon Lights

Neon lights can be made at home using glass tubes and an inert gas such as neon, argon or helium. Once the gas is contained in the tubing, it will only emit light after a high-voltage electrical current passes through it. Working with high-voltage electricity can be dangerous, so creating neon lights at home is not recommended. It's safer to leave it to the experts and purchase a neon sign from a retailer.

References

• Scientific American: How Do Neon Lights Work?