From ultraviolet to Prussian blue: a spectral response for the cyanotype process and a safe educational activity to explain UV exposure for all ages

Abstract

Engaging students and the public in understanding UV radiation and its effects is achievable using the real time experiment that incorporates blueprint paper, an "educational toy" that is a safe and easy demonstration of the cyanotype chemical process. The cyanotype process works through the presence of UV radiation. The blueprint paper was investigated to be used as not only engagement in discussion for public outreach about UV radiation, but also as a practical way to introduce the exploration of measurement of UV radiation exposure and as a consequence, digital image analysis. Tests of print methods and experiments, dose response, spectral response and dark response were investigated. Two methods of image analysis for dose response calculation are provided using easy to access software and two methods of pixel count analysis were used to determine spectral response characteristics. Variation in manufacture of the blueprint paper product indicates some variance between measurements. Most importantly, as a result of this investigation, a preliminary spectral response range for the radiation required to produce the cyanotype reaction is presented here, which has until now been unknown.

High-Energy-Density Flexible Potassium-Ion Battery Based on Patterned Electrodes

“…Herein, inspired by the fact that traditional cyanotype is a cheap, simple, and controllable precipitation process, [26][27][28] we propose cyanotype as a novel photographic printing strategy for the fabrication of low-cost, lightweight, and flexible electrodes by the photoinduced synthesis of highly crystalline PB nanocubes (CTPB) grown onto Xuan paper. When the photographic printing flexible PB electrode is employed as a new class of cathode, highly flexible KIBs with excellent mechanical strength and superior electrochemical performance, including good cycling stability and high energy density, are fabricated.…”

An Inexpensive High-Temporal Resolution Electronic Sun Journal for Monitoring Personal Day to Day Sun Exposure Patterns

“…The high level of precision associated with accurate electronic UV dosimeters have recently been supplemented with alternative commercial methods of monitoring personal solar exposure, including lower cost electronic UV bracelets linked to smartphones ( 32 ), badges employing photosensitive dyes ( 33 , 34 ), as well as beads and bangles sensitive to solar UV radiation ( 35 , 36 ). While many commercial options appear to provide cost effective solutions for monitoring behavior, they often provide limited modes of operation and lack the design flexibility necessary for researchers interested in studying personal sun exposure patterns.…”

Techniques for Constructing Ultra Low Cost Deep Ultraviolet Transmission Microscopes

“…Another related means for recording microscopic images is the use of cyanotype printing chemicals, which although do not show as high sensitivity as photographic paper in the ultraviolet region, but are very easy to work with and can serve as a great educational tool in ultraviolet imaging and microscopy. There have been some previous studies on the utilization of cyanotype paper for studying the effectiveness of the sunscreens against the UV radiation of the sun [16,17].…”