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Make your glow sticks SUPER Bright

Make your glow sticks SUPER Bright
In order to make your glow sticks super bright, just crack them, put them in a microwave for 10 seconds. WARNING: Glow sticks can pop in the microwave if left in to long.

I bought these glow sticks, 1000 for $40 on e-bay, some worked great, but others were kinda dim, a search of solutions turned up this. The life of the glow stick is shortened slightly (12 hours instead of 24) but is much brighter and more useful.
 
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Step 1NUKE!

NUKE!
Just take dimming glow sticks and place them in the microwave for 10 seconds...
Microwaves excite the hydrogen peroxide in the glow sticks and make the glow sticks react faster (brighter). They will still last for hours though when they start to die, they die for good.


DON"T DO IT FOR MORE THAN 10 Seconds.
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82 comments
1-40 of 82next »
Oct 29, 2011. 8:14 AMme1me2me3 says:
omg you were right i tried it and it actually worked
Mar 13, 2011. 11:38 AMPlo Koon says:
Cool. Never knew it.
Oct 29, 2010. 6:28 AMuberdum05 says:
Put them over a radiator thats on or in some hot water, and to make them last longer but with the expense of dimmer sticks, put them in cold water or in a cold fridge :)
Mar 27, 2010. 9:22 PMArticas says:
cut down the life heaps tho
it increases the speed of the reaction
Oct 25, 2007. 9:16 PMDeusXMachina says:
Yeah the heat will definitely speed up the reaction, but what happens when they cool back down to ambient? Are they just as bright as when hot? It'd be interesting to find out.
Nov 1, 2007. 7:45 AMProject_Nightmare says:
You are right about it speeding up the reation. The life of the sticks will drop quickly (that's why refrigerated sticks lasts for days), I would assume that it would slow down again or run out suddenly
Jan 18, 2010. 1:33 AMpaperwf says:
If you want glow long time .please scan that website:www.hzruiyuan.com
send email to per@hzruiyuan.com
Dec 2, 2007. 8:29 PMpedm says:
yup, it's just a normal chemical reaction happening inside (although one that excites colored dye in the process) so it'll slow down as it cools. be cool to take the stuff out and heat it on a bunsen burner or something, and see how bright you could get it.
Jul 16, 2009. 10:02 AMHMBeck says:
Why would you use a glow stick if you are near to a microwave that can be powered anyway?
Aug 16, 2009. 10:08 PMHellchild says:
because you cant run around in the dark with a microwave that turns into a cool colored stick when you crack it, BECAUSE you would have broken the microwave. That's why
Mar 7, 2008. 6:21 PMmooses23 says:
you guys said stick
Jan 2, 2009. 1:24 AMidiotbasher says:
yes these people apparently microwave their sticks, as some sort of performance enhancer?
Aug 13, 2009. 6:11 PMHellchild says:
DAMN!! i gotta try that then,
Aug 16, 2009. 10:06 PMidiotbasher says:
I have microwaved a hotdog before and would like nothing better than have my stick crack/explode like that lol
Aug 16, 2009. 10:07 PMHellchild says:
oh, that sounds AMAZING
May 2, 2009. 8:03 PMlobo_pal says:
I heard that freezing them works also.
Jun 24, 2009. 3:11 PMjunits15 says:
heat = faster reaction
cold = slower reaction
May 2, 2009. 8:27 PMidogis1 says:
no, freezing them makes them last longer by slowing the reaction.
Apr 13, 2009. 3:28 PMXxmallorymurderxX says:
hey,does this work with those glow in the dark beads?!
Jun 9, 2009. 4:33 PMXamith says:
lol, glow sticks use chemicals, beads don't
Mar 10, 2009. 1:28 PMacoreboy says:
does this works with shirts
Jan 31, 2009. 4:49 AMpower says:
why not just put it in hot water?
Oct 31, 2007. 2:32 PMbobolot says:
what if you put one in a microwave without cracking it. will the pressure in the thin glass tube break the tube and start the glowstick
Dec 4, 2008. 5:43 PMBobicusIX says:
do you pronounce you name Bob-oh-lot or Bob-ah-lot?
Dec 2, 2007. 8:31 PMpedm says:
it should, it's just hydrogen peroxide inside the inner tube
Nov 10, 2007. 1:41 AMKavaDrunk says:
Cool, mine exploded and now my microwave glows in the dark!
Dec 4, 2008. 5:40 PMBobicusIX says:
okay.........
Jun 13, 2008. 5:57 PMPSPerson says:
lol
Apr 13, 2009. 4:06 PMmr.craper106 says:
yes lol is correct
Nov 25, 2008. 2:26 PMjunits15 says:
What is interesting is this is basicly 8th grade science all over agian! The microwave heats the glow sticks and increases the molecular movement, this increases the reaction's results, in simple terms heating glow sticks in anyway makes them brighter, even hot water will do it! :D
Nov 25, 2008. 2:01 PMThe-Punisher872 says:
cool i like it
Aug 3, 2008. 4:23 PMjamiemac2005 says:
lmao that's well good =].... Next most populare rave item: microwave =]

Apr 13, 2008. 2:44 PMNJB says:
Nice one! I noticed this effect when I took the chemicals out of mini glow sticks like that and boiled them over a candle, if you keep heating them, you get a brightness peak after about 15 seconds but it then (if you can still stand the fumes) begins to deteriorate rapidly with further boiling, may be different with different brands, I'd certainly never dared to put them in the microwave, have to try it at some point. Thanks!
Aug 3, 2008. 10:26 AMblakdragon19 says:
glow sticks make light with a simple chemical reaction between hydrogen peroxide and a fluorescent dye. heating the reaction makes it go faster, but it also uses up the reactants quicker. cooling it will slow it down. thats why you freeze glow sticks if they're still going after a party, rave, gala event. incidentally, these frozen ones are great for putting in the microwave, but won't last as long as new ones. Also, make sure you crack the glowstick BEFORE you put it in the microwave, or you will have a wonderful, cheerful, harmful explosion
Jun 25, 2008. 8:05 AMPlasmana says:
Heres what happen if you microwave glow sticks for more than 10 seconds...


Nov 8, 2007. 6:45 AMelectfire says:
well what every youdo just dont stick markers in a microwave!
Dec 14, 2007. 8:56 PMw00ty32 says:
why not stick markers in the microwave ???????????????????
Dec 17, 2007. 5:55 AMelectfire says:
they will explode so dont do it in a brand new microwave.
Jun 13, 2008. 6:01 PMPSPerson says:
if you have an old microwave you can change the color on the cheap
=P
1-40 of 82next »

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