Luminescent Wallpaper

A new wallcovering, which recently debuted at the Designblok exposition in Prague, illuminates an entire room with soft, ambient light. Called Lighting Wallpaper™, it consists of individual decorative, flexible tiles that can be easily installed on any surface using double-sided copper tape. The tiles contain no wires, bulbs or LEDs, and their unique construction creates a pleasant light that’s equally bright at all points.

A layer of zinc-sulfide with metal additives (such as copper) is sandwiched between two layers of electrically conductive plastic, which form a pair of electrodes that function as a capacitor. When an AC voltage is applied to the electrodes, the metal additives discharge in a series of flashes about sixteen times per second. This is perceived by the human eye as a constant but subtle glow.

The tiles can emit up to 100 candlepower per square meter while consuming less than 100 Watts per square meter of lighted area. In other words, an array of twenty “Flower and Circle” tiles, each measuring 50 centimeters (19 inches) square and having about 13 percent lighted area, consumes about as much electricity as a 60Watt bulb, with a working life of approximately 50,000 hours.