How chemistry can keep glow-in-the-dark pigments from fading

Conservators studying Stephen Sprouse’s DayGlo-based textiles say chemistry could help keep the designer’s glow-related colors from dulling over time. Several Sprouse works are preserved in the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, where researchers are analyzing the phosphorescent and fluorescent pigments used in his pieces. The team presented recent findings this week at the American Chemical Society meeting in Chicago. The underlying science covers phosphors that store energy after light exposure and release it later, alongside DayGlo pigments that convert ultraviolet light into visible brightness in daylight—processes also used in products ranging from toys and signage to WWII fabrics and aircraft carrier landing paints.