Luminescence Public Open Day - May 25th

14 June 2013

On the last Saturday of every month the Institute of Making opens its door for everyone to come and have a little peek into the world of materials. We encourage everyone to have a play, get hands on with the Materials Library and try some of the equipment out in the MakeSpace.

This was the queue of people waiting to get in when we opened the door at 1pm.

A few weeks ago, we explored luminescence. Visitors were able to watch neon artists demonstrating the forming and filling of neon tubes live in the space. They explored luminescent materials from the library, had a go with 'invisible' UV face paint and mouldable glow-in-the-dark polymorph plastic, and took away laser-etched test tubes filled with glow-in-the-dark liquid. It was one very busy, luminescence-filled day.

Invisible UV Face paint. 

Special guests Julia Bickerstaff and Richard Wheater demonstrated the making of Neon tubes, bending, blowing, stretching, filling all the way through to a glowing neon UCL sign. Wheater & Bickerstaff demonstrated the unique and beautiful quality of natural gases like neon and argon. Prof. Alwyn Davies also fired up what is believed to be the prototype for the first neon sign, made right here at UCL in 1895. 

 

Julia Bickerstaff in deep concentration bending some neon tubing. 

 

Polymorph forming. 

 

This was an amazing mouse that someone made from the polymorph. Very creative! 

 

This month our Public open day will be Saturday 29th June, 1pm - 4pm, where we will be exploring String and Things.

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