Experimental Apparatus for Simultaneous Measurement of Triboelectricity and Triboluminescence

Abstract Triboelectricity is a phenomenon caused by the accumulation of opposite electric charges on the surfaces of two different materials as a result of contact with each other. The phenomenon of emitting cold light when the material is subjected to physical deformation is called triboluminescence. This paper presents an experimental apparatus that allows simultaneous measurement of both triboelectricity and triboluminescence of a model composite system based on poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and europium tetrakis (dibenzoylmethide) triethylammonium (EuD4TEA). While the former component was studied in contact-separation mode giving triboelectricity, the latter emits triboluminescence upon application of mechanical impact. The device was operated at varying range of frequencies from 0.5-4.8 Hz and the force in the range of 5.4-9.5 N.