What Is Neon?

The luminous properties of neon make it a favorite material for creating illuminated signs. It also has many other uses, including high voltage indicators and combined with helium to produce helium-neon lasers. It is nontoxic, nonflammable and does not burn. Like the other noble gases argon and krypton, neon has no taste, smell or color. It was first discovered in 1898 by British chemists William Ramsay and Morris Travers in liquefied air. It is named from the Greek word for new, neos.

Neon is one of the 21 known chemical elements and can be found in group 18 of the Periodic Table. This section of the table organizes all the different elements based on their physical states e.g. gas, solid or liquid.

In its pure form, neon is a gas with a color that ranges from deep red to green. It has a faint pink-blue tinge and emits a bright glow in the red and blue portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, with a yellowish-orange appearance when heated to higher temperatures.

When used properly, neon can add an eye-catching pop to a design. Pairing it with darker shades creates essential contrast, which helps neon colors stand out without looking jarring. It’s important to limit the use of neon, though, to avoid overwhelming a design with too much color. Sticking to a limited number of neon colors also keeps the accents from appearing haphazard and makes them look purposeful. For more information on the safety handling of neon, check out CAMEO Chemicals.