Fracto-mechanoluminescence of ZrO2:Ti nanophosphor excited by impulsive excitation

Abstract In this paper, we report on the mechanoluminescence (ML) of Ti doped ZrO2 nanophosphor induced by impulsive deformation. The ZrO2:Ti nanophosphor was prepared by combustion synthesis method. The crystalline structure of as prepared ZrO2:Ti nanophosphor was examined through X-ray diffraction (XRD). When a ZrO2:Ti nanophosphor sample is deformed impulsively by the impact of a moving piston, at impact point, initially the ML intensity increases linearly with time, attains a peak value at a particular time, and finally decreases with time. The ML intensity first decays at a fast rate, and later it decays slowly. The dependence of peak ML intensity, total ML intensity and tm on impact velocity is investigated and discussed. The total ML intensity is observed to be increasing linearly with increase in mass of the impacted nanophosphor. This characteristic is reasonably useful in the development of damage and pressure sensors. ML intensity increases linearly with impact energy also. Thermoluminescence (TL) analysis shows involvement of three kinds of traps. A suitable model to explain ML mechanism is also proposed.