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Mechanoluminescence

Light from sonication of crystal slurries

Nature volume 444, page 163 (2006)Cite this article

Light flashes sparked by acoustic shock waves far outshine those created by manual crushing.

Abstract

Mechanoluminescence, also known as triboluminescence or fractoluminescence, is light emission induced as a result of mechanical action on a solid1,2,3 — for example, Francis Bacon noted as long ago as 1605 that lumps of sugar emitted light when scraped4. Here we elicit mechanoluminescence by a new means, acoustic cavitation, and find intense luminescence and emission lines that are not generated by other mechanisms such as grinding, cleaving, rubbing, scratching, biting or thermal shock.

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Figure 1: Mechanoluminescent spectra from sucrose and resorcinol.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, 61801, Illinois, USA

    Nathan C. Eddingsaas & Kenneth S. Suslick

Authors
  1. Nathan C. Eddingsaas
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  2. Kenneth S. Suslick
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kenneth S. Suslick.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Eddingsaas, N., Suslick, K. Light from sonication of crystal slurries. Nature 444, 163 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/444163a

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