Making uranium glass

The speaker initially thought uranium glass was a marketing gimmick but discovered it's real and contains uranium. Intrigued, they bought a uranium glass cup on eBay, noting its green color likely from added iron. The cup fluoresces under black light due to uranium, despite being only minorly radioactive. Uranium glass was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s until WWII when the government confiscated uranium for nuclear research. Post-war, health concerns and negative public perception hindered its revival. The speaker, fascinated by uranium, plans to make their own glass, starting with depleted uranium and uranyl nitrate, noting radiation's imperceptibility without instruments like a Geiger counter.

The speaker describes the process of changing uranyl nitrate into sodium diuranate for glass-making. This involves careful handling due to the compound's radioactivity and toxicity. After weighing out 15 grams of uranyl nitrate, the speaker dissolves it in water, despite some cloudiness. Filtration through cotton and sea light clarifies the solution. The next step is reacting the solution with sodium hydroxide, or lye, which is also dissolved in water. The reaction forms sodium diuranate, which is insoluble and separates out as a solid. The process is monitored by pH testing until the solution turns blue, indicating a pH of about 10. The sodium diuranate is then filtered, washed, and dried under a vacuum to avoid dust and ensure safety.

After successfully creating sodium diuranate, the speaker attempts to make uranium glass. They follow a basic glass-making process involving a mixture of silica, sodium carbonate, and boric acid, which are melted together. The mixture is tested without uranium and found to be successful. Then, the speaker adds uranium to the glass mix, carefully grinding the sodium diuranate to avoid dust. A small amount of uranium is added based on a 0.25% concentration by weight. The uranium glass is melted and poured onto a graphite square, cooling to a yellow color. Under a UV lamp, the glass shows fluorescence, initially weak but improving as it cools, confirming the effectiveness of the uranium addition.

The speaker encounters issues with the uranium glass, as it breaks spontaneously due to quick and uneven cooling, causing internal stress. To address this, they insulate the glass to cool it slowly and reduce stress. Despite this, more breakage occurs. The speaker decides to anneal the glass by holding it at around 450°C for several hours, which allows the atoms to move and reduce internal stress. They also attempt glassblowing but opt to make beads instead, which they anneal after a last-minute decision. The speaker acknowledges the importance of proper annealing despite the limitations of having only one furnace.

The speaker questions the radioactivity level of the uranium glass pieces and invests in a more sensitive Geiger counter to measure it. The new device can detect alpha particles and provides a larger detection area. The uranium glass, with a 0.25% concentration, is tested and found to emit radiation equivalent to having a dental X-ray every two hours when in close contact. A bead made from the glass shows lower radiation levels due to its smaller size. The speaker concludes that the glass is generally safe for occasional handling and short-term wear but advises against prolonged or continuous exposure.

The speaker discusses their return to sponsorships with the condition of having control over the content. They introduce Brilliant, an educational platform offering mini-courses in various subjects, which they find engaging and game-like. The speaker appreciates the flexibility of the learning format and has been focusing on physics to fill gaps in their knowledge. They encourage viewers to try Brilliant, offering a discount link for the first 200 users. The video concludes with thanks to Patreon supporters, who gain early access to content and the ability to message the speaker directly, with special acknowledgment given to those contributing $5 or more.