Triboluminescence Produced during Motion of Mercury on Glass Coated with Luminescent Materials

Abstract

Triboluminescence (TBL) is a type of luminescence produced during the rubbing of two dissimilar materials together or separation of two materials in contact. When mercury moves on the glass tube filled with inert gases such as He, Ne, Ar, etc, then TBL appears. The results combined with studies of static electrification and solid-state luminescent processes provide some possible schemes. The process of contacting mercury with glass causes the mercury to become positively charged and the glass negatively charged as a result of the transfer of electrons from the mercury moving into unfilled surface states of the glass. The separation of the mercury and glass surfaces initiates a discharge, which is based on the fact that the emission from He is observed. In case of the movement of the mercury, the discharge process could lead to highly energetic electrons and the interaction of these ”soft rays” with scintillator could produce emission.