So about a week ago I was doing some infusion, I let it cure for a couple of hours then a went to un bag it. It was dark ( 10 P.M.) when I was pulling the bag off. instantly I seen a extreamly blue light come off the bag everytime I pulled on it. Then when I went to remove the peel ply it did the exact same thing. I have searched for days on what element would cause the static light to be so blue/purpleish. I remember reading a artical where some scientist were messing around at work one day and were using tape and a pencil to create a new form of carbon, and how it rearranged the line up of carbon and I believe they won the Nobel for it. I know there are some smart cats on here maybe ya’ll have some insight on it to feed my imagination.
That will be ionised air from Static Electicity your seeing. There is quite a build up and I’ve had some pretty good kicks off bigger parts.
Not sure why it’s the colour it is, but it’s a common phenomena.
Jim
Awesome!!! I was looking at what element gives it its blue color and couldnt find nothing on it. Thank you on the info Astute. By the was how is Valencia this time of year??? My family is from Pamplona just north of you in the Basque area. I plan on visiting in the next few years to do the running of the bulls.
No problem, glad I could help.
I am wondering now, I think you see blue/purple because the ‘spark’ is so small that is the wavelength of light that is emitted with a charge of that size…
If it was a bigger then more white light would appear similar to lightning.
Valencia is hot and humid…Still 30c here and it’s 21:30.
The north of the country is more temperate and boasts amazing scenery in that area, I love driving up to Bilbao ( and we pass Pamplona) for our yearly trip on the ferry back to the UK at Christmas…
Cheers, Jim
I had it in a boat one time, after vacuum cleaning the whole thing out. we switched off the light and never had lightshow like that while working 
Static in composites is evil. We have had this discussion before!!! I pulled peel ply and release film off a part still in a mold (30lbs aluminum)…walked around a bit, and then walk past the mold. About 3 inch spark shot off the mold from build up energy, and I almost pissed myself laying on the floor in pain.
ALWAYS ground yourself when pulling plastic or anything off composites…I never unbag anything (especially off my PP topped infusion table) without holding on to metal for dear life.
^ Ha ha ha thats funny! I havent had that bad of shock but some fairly decient ones. I never knew how conductive carbon was til I really started using it. That xxxx used to short out the recepticals in the shop and everything.
In my experimental phase to try and speed up the curing of a carbon part I stuck it in the microwave oven…:eek:…what a stink, instant flames…amazing! :rolleyes:
If you pull the peelüly off a rotor blade for wind energy and you forget to ground the mould you will get a flash of about 1m. That static electric can kill you.
Demould a part, or pull peelply from a part, then walk to the office ladies, and point at one of them. Garanteed fun… 
Herman has the best idea of how to have fun with physics.
That being said, that electricity hurts. Definitely ground yourself.
What practices are you guys using to ground the molds or self?
Spent some time building carbon AC spars they where often supported on wooden tressels, just at groin height, you soon learnt to check they were grounded prior to touching. Sometimes they would get charged up with the static from a hoover/vacuum cleaner for a few minutes to catch someone out
I used tows of carbon to fix a large plastic coffee mug. Yeah, never microwaved coffee in that mug to warm it up again!!!
I just grab something metal, or at least hold my leg up against a metal frame…at least it will shock me gently a few times through the fabric…
I’m sure I can use a ground strap, and a grounded brush to get rid of static…