Flexible Aluminum Electroluminescent Display - No Transparent Conductor Needed

video Flexible Aluminum Electroluminescent Display - No Transparent Conductor Needed

How to make a flexible display with aluminum foil, EL phosphors and a simple electrolytic etching bath.

35 comments	Add Comment

Feb 22, 2012. 2:05 PM

Dain Unicorn says:

That offers so many possibilities, and your use of an erstwhile warning sticker is resonating with me. This along with EL wire might be a suitable means to offer low/no-light guidence, and since there is current flow it could be tested for my automated devices as well.

Bravo, very well done.

May 31, 2011. 9:59 AMGeek++ says:

This is so kewl that it forced me to get an account just so I could tell you that. lol Awesome stuff!

Feb 12, 2011. 1:57 AMconundrum2142 says:

this should also work with an ultrasound cleaner to porate the aluminium.
not as well but just takes a bit longer.

-A

Dec 16, 2010. 1:57 AMLemurX says:

Dielectric Ink = Dielectric Grease? :o

Nov 30, 2010. 5:32 PMbest_brothers says:

SUPER LIKE!

Nov 22, 2010. 11:48 AMMa3oud says:

where is the video??

Nov 18, 2010. 5:07 PMbijikenyot says:

hei..the video is already gone

???????????????????????????

Nov 18, 2010. 4:08 PMH.C.S. Studios says:

This is so cool! I have got to try and make something with that electroluminescent phosphorous!
Please tell me, where can you get it?!

Nov 18, 2010. 8:47 AMangel91250 says:

Good job.
Does it require high voltage AC supply?

Nov 18, 2010. 12:57 PMElectronician says:

She said 20V limited to 1A.

Nov 18, 2010. 3:55 PMangel91250 says:

NONONO...What you said is electrolysis(video 1:05). But what I want to know is...how could she make it emit light(video 2:10)?

Nov 18, 2010. 1:17 PM

dark sponge says:

No, that's just for the etching. For actually powering it, I'm pretty sure it uses a HV AC power supply.

Nov 18, 2010. 2:49 PMBlueFusion says:

About 100v AC at about 1000hz.

Nov 18, 2010. 3:39 PMhogtowner says:

That is just the COOLEST thing I have been e-mailed in a long time!!!

Nov 18, 2010. 12:43 PMdacker says:

A fantastic example of true science, turning a failure into something new, useful, and creative.

Like Post-It notes, microwaves for cooking, Teflon, and penicillin.

How about a bill of materials and suggested sources?

Nov 18, 2010. 12:42 PMmarkhutch says:

Do you have a supplier address for the dielectric insulator. And exactly what should we be googling for? dielectric insulator comes up with a gazillion types - yours looked like a paste of some sort?

Nov 18, 2010. 10:06 AM

loqwan says:

Nice work, very cool.

Nov 18, 2010. 9:47 AMmandanao says:

Really a nice and clever design, compliments!

How much we had to wait for an Instructable concerning such a nice project?

I had some some difficulties to understand spoken English, sorry!

(And please accept my apologies for my horrible written English,too...)

Nov 18, 2010. 9:25 AMHelder4u says:

You are very illuster :-)

Nov 18, 2010. 8:52 AMatlantica says:

Is there anything so attractive as an intelligent woman with a sexy voice? Brilliant project.

Nov 18, 2010. 8:51 AM

CameronSS says:

Jeri, you need to start including links back here on the videos! I saw this on YouTube yesterday but had completely forgotten you were on Ibles, too!

Very nice, by the way. I'm hoping for more porous aluminum foil projects.

Nov 18, 2010. 8:39 AMbarrem01 says:

Very impressive.

Can you list some sources where the materials you used can be obtained?

Nov 18, 2010. 7:38 AMazharjaved2000 says:

Highly enlightening project, well done!

Nov 18, 2010. 7:20 AMtwighahn says:

one could use this to make a ghost at holloween

Nov 18, 2010. 6:47 AMGENERALCHAOS says:

that so cool nice project

Nov 18, 2010. 6:34 AMtng1701e says:

Jeri you are so Amazing!!! Will you marry me? :)

Nov 17, 2010. 1:38 PMhorstschimanski6 says:

Very impressive!
Can you give me an hint were i can get EL phosphors?

Nov 17, 2010. 1:17 PMkenchato says:

You are great! xD

Nov 17, 2010. 12:49 PMDIY-Guy says:

Such a positive attitude with a catalyst of pure creativity!
Wondering, would aluminum window screen work also? It has holes....

Nov 17, 2010. 12:13 AMchickenstine says:

thats awesome what if you made a 5X5 poster with that. it would be so cool

Nov 16, 2010. 7:13 PMmossDboss says:

could you just mix conductive powder (I am assuming the foil is the conductive material needed) with the phosphorous material.

Nov 16, 2010. 2:24 PM

Frivolous Engineering says:

Very illuminating!

Nov 16, 2010. 11:22 AMrobot797 says:

that is soooo coool

Nov 16, 2010. 9:02 AM

Culturespy says:

Wow Jeri,

you're doing such cool stuff!

Nov 16, 2010. 6:38 AMomnibot says:

Cool!

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Author:

JeriEllsworth (Jeri Ellsworth)

Self taught electrical engineer, ex-race car driver and aspiring improv actress (ok, maybe not the last). Visit my YouTube channels to ask questions on these videos and get links to more info. http...