Visualization of stress distribution in solid by mechanoluminescence

摘要

Mechanoluminescence (ML) materials are known to emit light due to the application of mechanical stress. The ML responding to elastic deformation, plastic deformation and fracture is referred here as elasoticoluminescence, plasticoluminescence and fractoluminescence, the former two belong to non-destructive ML and the later belongs to destructive ML. Until now, the destructive ML has been observed in various inorganic and organic materials, whereas the non-destructive ML has been found in very limited cases. No practice application of non-destructive ML has been realized so far. On the other hand, ML material as it transfers a mechanical stress into a light emission, is believed to be a new smart material for various mechano-optical applications. Recently we have done a series research on ML both in fundamental and application aspects. This paper focuses on the investigation of elastico-luminescence. The results of the present work reveal that the ML coatings on the surface of solid can direct display the stress distribution by a mechanoluminescence image.