Instructables Glow in the Dark Molecules are a unique and educational 3D printing project that allows you to create your own glowing molecular structures. With a variety of atomic shapes and molecular geometries to choose from, you can explore and learn about different molecules, or even create your own custom designs. The kit includes all the necessary 3D printable files, as well as detailed instructions and tips for printing and assembly. Once printed, simply expose the molecules to UV light to charge the glow-in-the-dark PLA, and watch them come to life in the dark.
instructables
Glow in the Dark Molecules
by mphatsosimbao
This project is based on an old Instructable of mine called the Modular Molecular Lamp. Unfortunately, that make is
under my old college email that no longer works so I had to make a new account haha
Anyway, I wanted to upgrade the project by removing the need for LED lighting on the inside and just make the whole
system glow in the dark.
Also wanted to have more molecular geometries represented since we can now make dierent special connectors using
TinkerCAD's new codeblocks.
Supplies:
Supplies:
1. 3D Printer
2. Glow in the Dark PLA
3. (Optional) Orange PLA (Or any other opaque colored PLA)
Tools:
1. 3D Print Flush Cutter
2. Sanding Sponge
3. (Optional) UV torch to supercharge Glow in the Dark PLA
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 1
Step 1: Molecular Geometries
So, since we'll be making a molecular kit to represent dierent molecules, we can just briey talk about molecular
geometry.
Molecular Geometry, also know as molecular structure, is the three-dimensional structure or arrangement of atoms in a
molecule.
Atoms usually have varying bond lengths and bond angles as shown in the above image. For this Instructable, I've tried
to replicate a bunch of these shapes for others to use but there's still more challenging ones to make like in Wikipedia's
full table and other literature.
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 2
Step 2: Design
For this kit, I decided to stick with the simple line or stick 3D representation of molecular geometries. Essentially,
everything, from double bonds to dierent atoms, will be represented using just 3 main pieces. (Of course there's other
ways you could do it)
1. The atom that acts as a connector and can have dierent shapes
2. A straight line piece to connect dierent atoms
3. An end pieces for dierent legs of atoms that have no straight connectors
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 3
Step 3: Straight Piece
Codeblocks Link
These are the simplest pieces to make but also the basis of all the other designs in terms of measurements. They are
made up of a connector and sleeve.
You simply take 1 cylinder of the size you want then subtract a smaller cylinder from it to make a tube. You also add a
shorter cylinder in the middle of the rst two to make a sleeve.
Something important to note is that the rst two cylinders must have extremely low resolution (you can set this by
changing the "Sides" value to 5) while the sleeve cylinder must have a high resolution (Set "Sides" to 64).
This helps ensure a nice t when you push the straight piece's connecting end into the opening of an atom's leg. It's
technically a simple way of making a press t.
CONNECTOR
Height: 40mm
Inner Radius: 6mm
Outer Radius: 6.5mm
SLEEVE
Sleeve Radius: 8mm
Sleeve Height: 20mm
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 4
Step 4: End Piece
Step 5: Linear & Bent
https://www.instructables.com/FWL/BO8V/LF6UYCV9/FWLBO8VLF6UYCV9.stl
DownloadView in 3D
CodeBlocks Link
End caps are just like the straight line pieces.
Essentially, just take a straight line piece, cut it in half and stick a hemisphere at the end. Again set the inner cylinders to
have extremely low resolution while the outer cylinder has a high resolution.
https://www.instructables.com/F2K/UZF7/LF6UYCZD/F2KUZF7LF6UYCZD.stl
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 5
Step 6: Tetrahedral
Linear Codeblocks Link
Bent Atom Link
So now, we can move on to the atom shapes.
The atoms are just tubes that we can t dierent straight and end pieces to. Their outer radius is the same as the Sleeve
Radius (8mm), and the inner radius is the same as the outer radius of the connector of a connector (6.5mm).
The Linear atom can be made using TinkerCAD's Codeblocks but I could only make the Bent atom using a tube shape
generator from TinkerCAD's regular editor.
https://www.instructables.com/FHD/145C/LF6UYDGP/FHD145CLF6UYDGP.stl
https://www.instructables.com/FTA/6H3R/LF6UYDH1/FTA6H3RLF6UYDH1.stl
DownloadView in 3D
Codeblocks Link
For tetrahedral, I tried to get the bond angles to be 109.5° (assuming all substituents that would surround the central
atom would be the same)
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 6
Step 7:
Step 8: Trigonal Planar
https://www.instructables.com/FIC/54VP/LF6UYDPW/FIC54VPLF6UYDPW.stl
DownloadView in 3D
Codeblocks Link
For this form of trigonal pyramidal, I just took a tetrahedral piece with it's top leg chopped o.
https://www.instructables.com/FPX/EVPR/LF6UYDVZ/FPXEVPRLF6UYDVZ.stl
DownloadView in 3D
Codeblocks Link
Flat atom with 3 legs, 120° between bonds.
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 7
Step 9: Trigonal Bipyramidal
Step 10: Octahedral
https://www.instructables.com/FMZ/NE48/LF6UYDYA/FMZNE48LF6UYDYA.stl
DownloadView in 3D
Codeblocks Link
Trigonal Planar with an upper and lower leg.
https://www.instructables.com/FD0/LZES/LF6UYEAW/FD0LZESLF6UYEAW.stl
DownloadView in 3D
Codeblocks Link
Trigonal bipyramidal but with 4 atoms around the center instead of 3.
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 8
Step 11: Square Planar
Step 12: Square Pyramidal
https://www.instructables.com/FIF/Z3W2/LF6UYF05/FIFZ3W2LF6UYF05.stl
DownloadView in 3D
Codeblocks Link
Octahedral but with no upper and lower leg
https://www.instructables.com/FZ3/2JRQ/LF6UYEPE/FZ32JRQLF6UYEPE.stl
DownloadView in 3D
Codeblocks Link
Octahedral with only 1 leg
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 9
Step 13: T-shape
Step 14: Stand
https://www.instructables.com/FFX/LILU/LF6UYEYH/FFXLILULF6UYEYH.stl
DownloadView in 3D
Codeblocks Link
Just a regular T
https://www.instructables.com/FWM/5V0I/LF6UYEZ9/FWM5V0ILF6UYEZ9.stl
DownloadView in 3D
Codeblocks Link
And Lastly, a simple stand. Molecular structures seem okay with just being hang on a wall or displayed on a table, but a
stand provides an extra level of fancy if you need it.
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 10
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 11
Step 15: Printing
Step 16: Done
I made all the parts small so that you could print many of them at once. Just make sure to use your 3D print ush cutters
and sanding sponge to clean up the prints once they are done cause they do have a few rough edges.
Print all pieces with supports and build plate adhesion.Print all pieces with supports and build plate adhesion.
Additionally, when printing with glow in the Dark PLA, please make sure to change your nozzle and printer settings as
needed to avoid problems and unnecessary wear to your parts.
This link gives a good run down from a Prusa Forum post
In my photo's I stuck with tetrahedral atoms cause I wanted to represent hydrocarbons, but there's plenty more atomic
shapes and molecular structures you can explore.
Have fun :)
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 12
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 13
Glow in the Dark Molecules: Page 14
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