Glow in the dark is a process in which light energy absorbed by a substance and is released relatively slowly in the form of light, in the form of glow. This glow cannot be compared to electroluminescent products which use some form of electrical charge to generate light. Neon lights appear to glow but these are generated by electrical charges and not by any natural glow process of absorbing and releasing light energy.
Besides Neon, there are other forms of glow but these are made from Radium. Radium is a radioactive chemical element. Its appearance is white, but it oxidizes on exposure to air, turning black. As long as it is kept in a sealed state, normally in glass tubes, it can glow for years. If ever the enclosure were to break, it is a radioactive material and is dangerous.
The last form of chemical glow comes in the form of glow light sticks. These glow when two chemicals are mixed. These products are generally safe as long as the container is not punctured. They do not work on electricity or radioactive radium, but! through a chemical reaction. When the chemical reaction dies, the glow dies.
Now you might be asking as to whether it is still possible to create products which produce any form of luminance or glow in the dark without electricity, radiation or chemical reaction. The answer is Yes. Electrically charged Neon and Radioactive Radium aside, there are also materials made from Strothium aluminate. These materials glow in the normal phospherence process by absorbing light energy and giving out this energy in the dark. However the brightness of the glow cannot be compared to the brightness of Neon or Radium.
The safe and normal Glow in the dark material needs to be charged by exposure to light. Expose it to light and it glows. Glowin the dark products react better if exposed to UV Lights.
