Article

Light Without Power

James Dey

New photoluminescent products launched in SA offer a ready solution to light when you need it most.

NightSite Africa, in conjunction with Australian photoluminescent technology provider, LumiTec, have developed and launched a range of photoluminescent products in South Africa which offers light without power.

The brand, LumiKote and LumiSystems represents photoluminescent products at the cutting edge in its field.  SA is the first country to be launching Lumikote.

Photoluminescent pigments are molecules which, when excited to a higher energy state by the absorption of light, emit or give off light as they return to the ground state. What goes up, must come down, but in this case the energy is given off as light.

Fluorescence and phosphorescence are both photoluminescent processes, however differences in the excitation of the molecules means that phosphorescent pigments appear to store energy, giving off light over a longer period of time. In the case of Lumikote, a lot longer.

Lumikote contains new phosphorescent pigments engineered by the company's development teams. When exposed to a few minutes of light, the LumiKote coating glows for over 100 hours, and glows bright enough to light up a room. This allows the product to be used virtually anywhere including homes, building, road markings and leisure. 

A corridor with lights on

A darkened corridor illuminated with Lumikote.

Current products offer only 7% of the performance of LumiKote. The company's winning ingredient are the carefully engineered pigments. 

The pigments are engineered in terms of size and shape and then formulated in intricate matrixes in order to provide the best combined effect in terms of brightness and low decay rate. Finally, all of this is held together by a patented suspension system which allows all of the photoluminescent particles to work together in unison to provide the results that are achieved. This unique system can then be used anywhere, and is totally waterproof and impact resistant.

The products meet and exceed SABS requirements, and exceed the stringent ASTM International standards by 148 times. Tests carried out with the Johannesburg Fire Department as well as leading mines have been successful. LumiKote is easy to use, safe and non-toxic.

"In the event of a power failure, a single strip of LumiKote Tape behind a fluorescent tube will illuminate a room, corridor or mine shaft for up to 8 hours to allow personnel to safely evacuate areas" says James Dey of NightSite. "The uses for these types of products is endless and we are able to cater for virtually any ideas and requirements."

In a continent which needs it the most, LumiKote can provide light to the most remote of locations without the need for any electricity or installation.

The LumiKote range covers a multitude of products including paint, silk screen inks, plastic injection moulding beads, spray products and concrete products, allowing it to be used in virtually any environment. LumiKote even offers paper which home, business and large scale users can print on to.

"Currently, no legislation exists to ensure that photoluminescent products are used in mines and buildings to ensure the safe passage of personnel, and we hope to create a safer work and living space for all South Africans. With the recent spate of power outages, LumiKote provides an excellent safety system for home and business clients alike."

Other products offered and under development include :

• Lamps for rural communities where children will be able to study without any electricity
• Glow in the dark clothing and clothing markers for pedestrians, specifically those in high-accident areas with bad illumination
• Photoluminescent paper which can be printed on with conventional home and business printers.
• Vehicle markings to ensure full visibility of vehicles at night
• Road marking paints for badly illuminated areas
• Signs including safety signs, and outdoor media in a variety of colours
• Plastic injection moulding pigments to allow the production of glow in the dark plastic products such as remote controls
• Domestic products including house numbers and swimming pool shapes which illuminate swimming pools without any power at all.
• Vinyl for large format digital printers

More information:

 www.lumi.co.za 

Images by Lumisystems International.

Article has been edited.

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