Interfacial dipole moment engineering in self-recoverable mechanoluminescent platform

• Published in: Materials today (Kidlington, England) England), 2024-12, Vol.81, p.4-11
• Main Authors: Jeong, Hong In, Jung, Hye Sung, Lee, Cheong Beom, Kim, So Jung, Jo, Jeong-Sik, Song, Seongkyu, Ko, Seo-Jin, Kang, Dong-Won, Jeong, Soon Moon, Jang, Jae-Won, Kim, Kyeounghak, Lee, Jihoon, Choi, Hyosung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dipole moment; Mechanoluminescence; Self-recoverable; Surface functionalization; Triboelectric field
• ISSN: 1369-7021
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mattod.2024.09.020

Interfacial dipole moment engineering in self-recoverable mechanoluminescent platform explores a simple and innovative method to modulate the internal triboelectric field in a self-recoverable mechanoluminescent platform. This study elucidates a direct relationship between dipole moment strength and mechanoluminescence brightness by modifying the surface of ZnS@metal oxide phosphor with functionalized benzoic acid derivatives. Our platform can be effectively applied to practical applications, including anti-counterfeiting systems. [Display omitted] •Interfacial modification enhances triboelectric field, boosting ML brightness by 27.4 %.•Aminobenzoic acid (ABA) surface treatment achieves significant ML performance increase.•Developed ML platform suitable for anti-counterfeiting and wearable display applications.•Surface dipole moment engineering offers a versatile approach to optimize ML properties for various applications. Harnessing the potential of mechanoluminescence (ML) for practical applications necessitates innovations that maximize brightness while simplifying the platform. Our study introduces a pioneering interfacial modification technique that enhances the internal triboelectric field in a self-recoverable ML platform based on zinc sulfide@metal oxide phosphor and a polydimethylsiloxane matrix. By chemically functionalizing the surface of metal oxide shells with benzoic acid derivatives, we modulate surface charge density thereby intensifying the triboelectric field within the ML platform. Utilizing a range of derivatives with varying dipole moments establishes a direct relationship between dipole moment strength and triboelectric enhancement. Notably, introducing aminobenzoic acid (ABA) onto the surface of the aluminum oxide (AlOx) shell results in a significant increase in ML brightness. Our strategy to easily adjust the ML brightness has been applied to anti-counterfeiting applications. Our study not only reveals the correlation between surface triboelectric fields and ML performance but also provides the possibility for practical use of self-recoverable ML platforms in various application fields, including smart textiles, health monitoring systems, and wearable displays.