Advances in triboluminescence and mechanoluminescence

Triboluminescence is the spontaneous emission of light that results from the mechanical force applied to certain materials. This spontaneous light emission has been observed for hundreds of years. However, there are few practical applications of triboluminescence. Mechano-luminescence is a form of triboluminescence, and sometimes the terms are used interchangeably. Triboluminescence has the potential to use in many fields. This paper is a review of the history and mechanics of triboluminescence, and some applications are discussed. The types of triboluminescence covered in this paper include elastic-stress mechano-luminescence, plastic-stress mechano-luminescence, and fracture mechano-luminescence. Materials and methods in developing future applications have also been included. The research reviewed in this paper gives an insight into past and current advances in the field of triboluminescence and explains the potential for future applications.