A versatile low-cost laboratory apparatus for testing triboluminescent materials

The design and fabrication of a simple low-cost laboratory apparatus used to test triboluminescent properties of materials is reported. This unique experimental system consists of an impact chamber attached to the bottom of an adjustable drop tower. A 1.25 in. steel ball with a mass of 130 g is dropped from a known height in the tower impacting the pile of powdered triboluminescent sample at low velocities (<10 ms−1). Any generated triboluminescence is then recorded using a photodiode and amplifier and recorded on an oscilloscope. The resulting triboluminescence data is analyzed using specially written LabVIEW programs. The details of the experimental setup, techniques, and results for several common inorganic and organic triboluminescent phosphors are discussed in this paper.

► We study the triboluminescence emitted from low velocity (<10 ms−1) impacts.
► A drop tower is used to vary the velocity and measure the triboluminescence.
► Specialty written LabVIEW software is used to analyze the light yield and decay time.
► The results using technique to both inorganic and organic phosphors is discussed.