Near-infrared mechanoluminescence sensor: A new method for on-site infrastructure detection

Near-infrared mechanoluminescence is a phenomenon that produces high penetrating near-infrared light under external stimulation. Near-infrared light coincides with the biological window, lower optical loss, and the fact that the mechanoluminescence material is a medium that converts mechanical energy into light energy. The near-infrared mechanoluminescence material has potential application prospects in the fields of biological imaging, medical diagnosis, and monitoring of building materials. In this article, we report on a perovskite-type Sr₃Sn₂O₇:Nd³⁺ near-infrared mechanoluminescence material, and its peaks locate in the first near-infrared window (800-1000 nm) and the second near-infrared window (1080, 1350 nm), respectively. Under the condition of pre-sintering with Li₂CO₃ as flux, the best sintering conditions are obtained, and the luminescence of material is in perfect agreement with the applied mechanical stress. In addition, a near-infrared mechanoluminescence sensor is proposed to solve the problem of building damage and timely maintenance.