How to Make Glo Sticks
- 1). Dilute 50 milliliters of 3-percent hydrogen peroxide with 1 liter of water in a large bowl after donning rubber gloves and safety goggles. Stir the mixture well.
- 2). Combine 1 liter of water with 4 grams of sodium carbonate. The sodium carbonate will act as a base, allowing the other chemicals to mix evenly (See References 1).
- 3). Mix 0.4 grams of copper sulfate pentahydrate to the sodium carbonate mixture. Luminol works by pulling electrons from metals, such as the iron in a blood stain, and the copper sulfate will provide the metal ions for the luminol to interact with. Do not let this solution touch your skin or eyes, and do not ingest it or you could be seriously injured.
- 4). Add 0.2 grams of luminol to the sodium carbonate and copper sulfate solution. When this solution is mixed with your diluted hydrogen peroxide, the nitrogen atoms of the luminol will be replaced with oxygen atoms. This creates an excited state in the luminol atoms that will react with the copper sulfate to produce photons. This creates the glow of the glow stick (See Reference 1).
- 5). Pour the luminol solution into a clear sealable container, such as a soda bottle, until it is halfway full.
- 6). When ready to make your solution glow, add an equal amount of diluted hydrogen peroxide to your soda bottle, tighten the cap securely, and shake. Watch as the two chemical solutions combine and produce a blueish glow.
