instructables Glow in the Dark Molecules Instruction Manual

: June 9, 2024
: instructables

Table of Contents

Glow in the Dark Molecule
Molecular Geometries
Design
Straight Piece
End Piece
Linear & Bent
Tetrahedral
Trigonal Plana
Trigonal Bipyramidal
Octahedral
Square Planar
Square Pyramidal
Stand
Printing
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

in structables Glow in the Dark Molecules Instruction Manual

Glow in the Dark Molecule

Symbol
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 di#erent special connectors using.

Supplies:

3D Printer
Glow in the Dark PLA
(Optional) Orange PLA (Or any other opaque colored PLA)

Tools:

3D Print Flush Cutter
Sanding Sponge
(Optional) UV torch to supercharge Glow in the Dark PLA

Molecular Geometries

So, since we’ll be making a molecular kit to represent di # erent molecules, we can just brie3y 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.
Molecular Geometries

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 di#erent atoms, will be represented using just 3 main pieces. (Of course there’s other ways you could do it)

The atom that acts as a connector and can have di#erent shapes
A straight line piece to connect di#erent atoms
An end pieces for di#erent legs of atoms that have no straight connectors

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 8rst two to make a sleeve.

Something important to note is that the 8rst 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 8t 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 8t.

CONNECTOR

Height: 40mm
Inner Radius: 6mm
Outer Radius: 6.5mm

SLEEVE

Sleeve Radius: 8mm
Sleeve Height: 20mm

End Piece

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.

Linear & Bent

Linear Codeblocks Link Bent Atom Link

So now, we can move on to the atom shapes. The atoms are just tubes that we can 8t di#erent straight and end pieces to. Their outer radius is the same as the SleeveRadius (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 Tinker CAD’s Code blocks but I could only make the Bent atom using a tube shape generator from Tinker CAD’s regular editor.

Tetrahedral

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)

Codeblocks Link
For this form of trigonal pyramidal, I just took a tetrahedral piece with it’s top leg chopped o#.

Trigonal Plana

Codeblocks Link
Flat atom with 3 legs, 120° between bonds

Trigonal Bipyramidal

Codeblocks Link
Trigonal Planar with an upper and lower leg

Octahedral

Codeblocks Link
Trigonal bipyramidal but with 4 atoms around the center instead of 3

Square Planar

Codeblocks Lin
Octahedral but with no upper and lower leg

Square Pyramidal

Codeblocks Link
Octahedral with only 1 leg

T-shape

Codeblocks Link
Just a regular T

Stand

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

Printing

I made all the parts small so that you could print many of them at once. Just make sure to use your 3D print 3ush 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.

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

Done

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 🙂
Dark Molecules