Glow in the dark filaments

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The Rosa3D range includes a wide variety of materials from the Glow in the Dark series, making them ideal for numerous projects. Among them, you will find: PLA Starter Glow in the Dark Green and PLA Starter Glow in the Dark Blue. Need a more durable material? PET-G Standard Glow in the Dark Green is the perfect solution.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Are you looking for flexible print properties? Rosa3D also offers ROSA-Flex 88A Glow in the Dark Green and ROSA-Flex 96A Glow in the Dark Green.

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What Causes the Glow Effect?

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Some 3D printing enthusiasts mistakenly believe that Glow in the Dark filaments are radioactive. Nothing could be further from the truth! The luminous effect is not caused by radioluminescence (atomic nucleus radiation). Instead, the ability to glow in the dark is due to photoluminescence, a phenomenon where materials emit light after prior exposure to it.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ This means that prints made using Glow in the Dark filaments absorb light and emit it for a certain duration. Our filaments can glow for up to 12 hours, though the best effects are visible during the first 2-3 hours.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The glow-inducing additives are non-toxic and can be recharged indefinitely. The pigment responsible for the glow effect can last for up to 15 years.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Our glowing filaments are produced using a pigment based on strontium aluminate. It is non-radioactive, non-flammable, and non-toxic, making it perfectly suitable for hobbyist 3D printing.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ This is a next-generation photoluminescent additive that outperforms sulfide-based pigments in terms of glow duration, stability, safety, and light intensity.

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Print made with PLA Glow in the Dark Green filament

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In What Colors Can 3D Prints Glow?

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ At Rosa3D, we offer filaments that glow in green and blue. It should be noted that green-emitting filaments are more intense and glow for longer periods. However, this does not diminish the appeal of the Glow in the Dark Blue filament, which captivates with its unique light. We used a special additive to ensure blue light emission in PLA Glow in the Dark Blue.

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How to Adjust the Intensity of the Glow Effect?

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The intensity and color of the emitted light primarily depend on the additive used in the filament’s production. At Rosa3D, we prioritize the highest quality materials, ensuring a sufficient amount of photoluminescent pigment for truly intense glowing effects.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 3D models printed with Rosa3D’s Glow in the Dark filaments can glow with varying intensities. What factors influence this?

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The first factor is the thickness of the 3D print walls and the level of infill. The more material used and the thicker the walls, the stronger the glow emission. This principle is particularly effective for lithophanes—3D-printed images or graphics. Thicker sections of the print will glow more brightly, while areas with less material will emit a dimmer glow.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Another way to affect the glow is by varying the exposure duration and intensity of the light source. The longer the print is exposed to intense light (natural or artificial), the stronger and longer-lasting the glow effect will be. Shorter exposure times or weaker light sources will lead to a reduction in photoluminescence.

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Prints made with PLA Glow in the Dark Green and PLA Glow in the Dark Blue filaments

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Can All Materials Glow in the Dark?

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Materials ideal for producing Glow in the Dark filaments are those with a transparent base. PLA, PET-G, and Flex (TPU) are perfect for this purpose. The more transparent the base material, the more intense the glow effect. It’s worth mentioning that not all types of PLA are transparent enough to provide a satisfying glow. PLA with additives for impact resistance or temperature stability tends to have a milky coloration, which reduces transparency. For PLA Glow in the Dark by ROSA3D, we selected a specially formulated, highly transparent type of PLA, resulting in truly exceptional glow effects.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Filaments such as ASA typically have a milky base, which dampens the glow effect.

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Printour made with ROSA-Flex 96A Glow in the Dark filament

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How to Print with Glow in the Dark Filaments?

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The photoluminescent additive used to produce Glow in the Dark filaments creates a strong glowing effect in 3D prints, but it is also highly abrasive. This is due to its structure and properties, which can wear down brass nozzles. We recommend using more durable, wear-resistant steel nozzles.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ The photoluminescent pigment also affects the properties of the filament—it is slightly harder and more brittle. This is not a manufacturing defect but simply a result of the additive’s characteristics. As a result, we recommend increasing the extrusion temperature (by about 5-10°C) and reducing the print speed. A 0.4 mm nozzle diameter is suitable, though larger sizes are recommended.

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Applications of Rosa3D’s Glow in the Dark Filaments

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Glow in the Dark filaments from Rosa3D offer many exciting possibilities for creators.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ They are often used in hobbyist printing to create various figurines that captivate with their glow in dark environments.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ They can also be used to create decorations for children’s rooms. Many children struggle with darkness, and glowing ceiling ornaments in friendly shapes can help overcome this fear.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ A fascinating application was found among diving enthusiasts. Glow in the Dark filament was used as part of a diver’s equipment. After exposure to light, it provides excellent visibility in dark underwater environments.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Similarly, drone enthusiasts value glowing elements that make it easy to locate drones at night. Protective covers for sensitive components or corners of drones are often printed using flexible TPU—ROSA-Flex Glow in the Dark Green.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Glow properties are also utilized by maintenance and safety teams, who secure protruding machine parts with covers printed from Glow in the Dark materials. This prevents accidental collisions or injuries during power outages or emergency evacuations.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ In summary, Glow in the Dark filaments from Rosa3D offer incredible opportunities for every creator, regardless of their 3D printing experience. Whether you’re a hobbyist, want to bring your projects to life at night, or need practical solutions, these filaments deliver.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Explore the possibilities of Glow in the Dark filaments and become one of those who push the boundaries of 3D printing innovation.

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‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ If you have any questions about our products, contact us, and we’ll be happy to help.