Triboluminescence and the mechanism of discharge of gases between the newly-created surfaces of crystals during their fracture

The present paper reports on the mechanism of discharge of the gases between the newly-created surfaces of sugar, tartaric acid and six other crystals during their fracture. It has been shown that the TBL intensity obtained by crushing the crystals inside ths liquid, anhydrous diethylether, diminishes more considerably than when they are crushed in air but it depends on the mode of mechanical crushing in the same manner as the TBL intensity obtained by crushing the crystals in air does. The TBL intensity obtained by crushing the crystal inside the liquid is higher for those crystals which show higher TBL when crushed in air. It has been concluded that some part of TBL is due to the excitation of the TBL centres and the remaining part to the discharge of the gases between the newly-created surfaces, to the exo-emission of the electrons from the TBL centres at the instant of fracture of the crystal.Thanks are due to Dr. J. N.Das, Professor and Head of the Physics Department, Government Science College, Raipur (M. P.) India for his guidance and help. The author also wishes to thank the Director-General, C. S. I. R. New Delhi, for the award of a Post-Doctoral Fellowship during the tenure of the work.