Home > Community > What is dicyanin, and what is it used for?
Upvote

13

Downvote
+ Science
+ Chemistry
Posted by
Abhinaya Ramachandran

What is dicyanin, and what is it used for?

CT Berchem  Follow

First have a look at

Walter John Kilner - Wikipedia

The dye is said to make light waves beyond the human eye capability visible. This can only be done by changing the wavelength, something that other dyes will also do and is known as fluorescence. Such a material absorbs “invisible” light, uses some of its energy and then remits it in the visible range, all in an instant so it appears immediate in real time. Thus highly visible jackets which stand out clearly in (to us) poor light can make safety workers, traffic controllers etc. more obvious from the background, and are readily available. It is no mystery and is well understood. Dicyanine is a blue cola tar dye (ie made from coal tar) and sounds like it absorbs visible light and beyond and then uses the “beyond” (most likely ultraviolet) to fluoresce, giving a somewhat ghostly aura to the scene you are looking at. It is apparently quite toxic which maybe a reason for its restricted availability. It is probably a tradename. There is information on cyanine which might give you some clues.

Cyanine - Wikipedia

More

Upvote

VOTE

Downvote

Dicyanin blue dye can be prepared by the action of KOH [potassium hydroxide] + atmospheric O [oxygen] on α-γ-Dimethylquinolinium salts.

Any capable chemist can create it. Contrary to the superstition that is current among the uneducated, it is not "illegal" to create, use, or sell it.

You'll want to get a copy of Dyestuffs & Coal-Tar Products (1915), by Beacall, Martin, et. al. That will cost you ~20 bucks at Amazon:

Dyestuffs & Coal-tar Products: Their Chemistry, Manufacture And Application, Including Chapters On Modern Inks, Photographic Chemicals, Synthetic ... And Other Products Derived From Coal Tar: Beacall, Thomas: 9780343392444: Amazon.com: Books

More

Upvote

VOTE

Downvote
erik.felsh  Follow
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1701144A/enMore
Upvote

VOTE

Downvote