Method of making fluorescent lamp

#This invention relates to protective films of alumina applied to fluorescent lamp glass envelopes.

#It is well known that the light output and maintenance of fluorescent lamps deteriorate because of a progressive darkening of the bulb during the operating life of the lamp. The darkening is commonly attributed to amalgamation of sodium on the inner surface of the glass under the influence of ultraviolet radiation from the arc discharge.

#In the case of aperture lamps, shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,225,241 where the phosphor does not cover the entire periphery of the bulb, the aperture portion of the glass is not coated with phosphor and is, therefore, subject to the full impact of the various ultraviolet radiations; hence, a sever blackening can occur on the portion of the lamp where it is most detrimental.

#In a specific example according to the invention, 38 grams of finely powdered alumina, having an average particle size of about 0.02 microns, along with 380 milliliters of 2-ethoxyethanol and 5 milliliters of G-3780A surfactant were subjected to 15 minutes of high speed agitation in a Waring blender. G-3780A surfactant is made by Atlas Chemical Industries and is a polyoxyethylene alkylamine which is insoluble in most hydrocarbon solvents but is soluble in lower alcohols, acetone, ethylene glycol and 2-ethoxyethanol.

#The resulting dispersion is a milky, homogeneous liquid which appears quite stable after several days.

#The alumina coating is preapred by low-speed mixing of 100 ml of the above dispersion with 100 ml of a nitrocellulose vehicle that consists of 5.5% by volume of dry nitrocellulose in 2-ethoxyethanol. Then, in order to obtain a coatable composition, an additional 664 ml of 2-ethoxyethanol along with 7 ml of diethyl phthalate are added to the coating preparation.