Neon signs, once the preserve of the urban landscape, announcing business openings or advertising products, have found their way into home interiors in recent years. Previously considered a street aesthetic or vintage style, signs have become an ultra-modern addition to living rooms, dining rooms, children's rooms, and playrooms, something never seen before.
The question arises: what has changed in the industry and the market, and why has this become possible?
According to Tatyana Goryunova, head of Moscow Neon, one of the largest neon sign manufacturers in Russia, a technology called flexible neon has changed everything. Flexible or LED neon has made neon signs and lighting safe, convenient, and accessible to everyone. This technology has revolutionized the more than century-old history of neon advertising.
- Spark of Genius: The History of the Neon Sign
- The structure and operating principle of a traditional neon sign
- Advantages and disadvantages of traditional neon signs
- Traditional neon sign:
- Flaws
- Flexible Neon: A New Era of Glow
- Flexible neon signage
- Advantages and disadvantages of flexible neon signs
- Advantages
- Flaws
Spark of Genius: The History of the Neon Sign
The history of neon signs is closely linked to the French inventor Georges ClaudeBorn in 1870, this chemist and engineer dedicated his life to gas research. At the beginning of the 20th century, while working with inert gases, Claude achieved a breakthrough. In 1910, he introduced the first neon lamp, created by passing an electric discharge through neon gas in sealed glass tubes. Heinrich Geissler had used a similar device to demonstrate a glow discharge almost half a century earlier, but Georges Claude was able to improve the lamp and make it suitable for commercial use.
Claude's invention was more than just a new light source; it allowed for the creation of illuminated lettering and shapes visible even in daylight. Recognizing the potential of his invention, Georges Claude moved to the United States (California, to be precise) and founded a company that manufactured neon signs and licensed them to other states. His company, "Claude Neon," was very successful, with sales exceeding $2 million in some years. Claude's signs adorned the facades of stores, movie theaters, and billboards, becoming a symbol of development and modernity. Neon advertising conveyed information but also shaped the unique appearance of cities. Its heyday was from the 1920s to the 1950s, but its popularity subsequently declined. This was due, in part, to the shortcomings of the technology.
The structure and operating principle of a traditional neon sign
The sign is a sealed glass tube, bent to a specific shape. The inner surface of the tube can be coated with a phosphor to produce light of specific colors.
The tube is filled with an inert gas, most often neon for red or orange glow, or argon mixed with mercury for blue or green. Electrodes are installed at the ends of the tube.
When high voltage is applied to the electrodes, an electrical discharge occurs, ionizing the gas in the tube. The ionized gas atoms emit light either directly or by activating a phosphor. The color of the glow is determined by the type of gas and the presence of a phosphor;
Advantages and disadvantages of traditional neon signs
Traditional neon sign:
- provides a bright, rich glow;
- allows you to create complex shapes and fonts;
- characterized by a long service life when used correctly;
- has a unique vintage look;
- resistant to adverse environmental factors;
Flaws
- glass tubes are fragile;
- high energy consumption;
- requires the use of a high voltage transformer;
- manufacturing and repair are labor-intensive and expensive;
- Some gas mixtures contain mercury;
Flexible Neon: A New Era of Glow
Flexible neon offered an alternative to fragile glass, making neon signs more affordable and safe for home use.
Flexible neon signage
Flexible neon consists of an LED strip enclosed in a flexible silicone or PVC casing. The casing evenly diffuses the light, simulating a neon glow. The LEDs operate at low voltage, typically 12V or 24V, so a power supply is always included in the circuit. The neon itself is attached to a backing, which is usually made of thin acrylic.
Advantages and disadvantages of flexible neon signs
Advantages
- high flexibility for easy installation;
- Safe to use due to low voltage and no glass or mercury;
- low power consumption;
- LEDs have a long service life;
- available in a wide range of colours and light modes;
- more affordable cost;
- resistant to shock and vibration;
Flaws
- service life is shorter than that of gas discharge lamps;
- not always suitable for creating large outdoor structures.
Flexible neon's affordability, safety, and ease of use have made it popular for use in home interiors, among other things. Today, you can order a neon sign in almost any major city, and its price is comparable to that of a standard LED lamp.
