Fabrication and Investigation of Sensory Elements Based on Mechanoluminescent Composite Materials for Mechatronic Systems

Mechanoluminescence of a composite material on the basis of polymethyl methacrylate and finely dispersed powders of SrAl
₂
O
₄
:(Eu
²⁺
, Dy
³⁺
) and Sr
₄
Al
₁₄
O
₂₅
:(Eu
²⁺
, Dy
³⁺
, B) phosphor ware investigated. The mechanoluminescence of the composite layer was excited under the action of a mechanical striker, short laser pulse in air and water and dynamic pressure of the stylus sliding over the mechanoluminescent layer surface. It was shown that composite material with Sr
₄
Al
₁₄
O
₂₅
:(Eu
²⁺
, Dy
³⁺
, B) powder did not show mechanoluminescent properties. It was shown that the excitation of mechanoluminescence in water begins at a much lower power density of laser pulses than in air. The produced composite layer is shown to exhibit high efficiency of “mechano-optical” transformation and can be used for recording and visualizing mechanical effects in mechatronic systems.