Using triboluminescence as the active element for impact sensors

3^rd International Conference and Exhibition on Materials Science & Engineering

October 06-08, 2014 Hilton San Antonio Airport, USA

William A Hollerman and Ross S Fontenot

Accepted Abstracts: Material Sci Eng

Abstract :

A phosphor is a substance that emits luminescence that is not caused by incandescence. The word phosphor comes from Greek meaning ?light bearer?. Phosphors are able to emit light due to the absorption of energy from an external source. One such source, triboluminescence (TL), is defined as the emission of light produced by mechanical action. This word comes from the Greek tribein, meaning ?to rub?, and the Latin prefix lumen, meaning ?light?. TL is observed in approximately 30% of known organic and 50% in inorganic crystals and was first discovered by Sir Francis Bacon more than 400 years ago. A classic example of TL is found in the crystals used for real old-fashioned wintergreen flavored Lifesavers�. The green/blue sparks seen when chewing the candy is TL light being emitted from crystals breaking in the sucrose. TL can also be produced by peeling tape in a vacuum or possibly as a result of plate tectonic movement during and just prior to earthquakes. The exact mechanism of TL is currently unknown. Since 2003, my students and I have been conducting a rigorous research program into measuring the triboluminescent properties for more than thirty inorganic and organic phosphors, such as zinc sulfide doped with manganese (ZnS:Mn) and europium tetrakis dibenzoylmethide triethylammonium (EuD4TEA), respectively. This presentation will show some results from this research and indicate how TL can be used as the active element for impact sensors for speeds ranging from less than a meter per second to a few kilometers per second.

Biography :

William A. Hollerman is the Dr. and Mrs. Sammie W. Cosper/BORSF Endowed Associate Professor of Physics at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He has been on the faculty there since 1999 and has published many articles in triboluminescence, radiation physics, and applied physics/ engineering, in periodicals such as the Journal of Luminescence, Materials Letters, Materials Today, Journal of Instrumentation, CrystEngComm, Measurement, IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Journal of Materials Research, and the Journal of Nuclear Materials. He has given presentations on a variety of scientific and technical topics to hundreds of participants.