Dyes & wavelength shifters

[Huan]

Can anyone help me with suppliers of, or information on, colorants and dyes with customised absorption peaks?
Also are there dyes which absorb light at one wavelength and re-transmit at a different one, across the UV-Visible-IR range? from low to higher wavelength, and vice versa?
Thanks!

[Darryl Meister]

Hi Huan,

Have you tried contacting BPI, yet? They sell a variety of dyes -- though I don't know how well they can guarantee the transmittance and color values. I doubt that their dyes will absorb and re-emit different colors, though. I'm also only aware of that being done with higher energy light (say, UV) re-emitting low energy light (say, visible) -- but haven't heard of it applied to spectacle tints.

Best regards,
Darryl


[This message has been edited by Darryl Meister (edited 10-10-2000).]

[Pete Hanlin]

BPI would be my suggestion as well. Just out of curiosity (which is in great supply here), it has always been my understanding that glass is a much better material to use if you want to eliminate specific wavelengths (because of the precise nature in which the tint can be controlled through adding various oxides and such, I'm guessing). The impression I've gotten is that, when tinting plastics, the result is pretty much a "crapshoot" (I'm sure the fellows at Brain Power Inc. would disagree with me on that point, however ;) ).

What's the scoop on the accuracy of tinting resins and polycarbonate materials?

Pete