Water-driven mechanoluminescent film for multifunctional sensing and display

Abstract

Mechanoluminescent (ML) materials have garnered significant attention due to their capacity for converting mechanical stress into light emission without the need for external power sources. However, very limited efforts have been cast on the response and utilization of water stimulation using ML materials. Herein, we present a highly efficient self-powered luminescent film that exhibits excellent water-responsive properties. The ML intensity of this film shows the zero-quenching performance when exposed to corrosive solutes (acid or saline solution) and within a broad temperature range of 0−100 °C. The ML intensity of the film remains unaffected by long-term water immersion and the impact of water (>1000 times), providing evidence of the durability of this film in humid environments. The COMSOL simulations aim to uncover the dynamic stress distribution of the ML film under two different modes of water stimulation (vibration and deformation). Furthermore, this ML film is used for water speed sensing, and its water speed sensing range is 0.8 m s−1 −6.02 m s−1. Meanwhile, the film's applications have been demonstrated in illumination and display under hydrodynamic force stimulation, human motion recognition, and underwater sensing and communication. The results show that the film can effectively realize the response and visualization to the hydrodynamic force and broaden the application field of mechanoluminescent materials.