Mechanoluminescent hybrids from a natural resource for energy‐related applications

Abstract

Abstract Mechanoluminescent (ML) materials that directly convert mechanical energy into photon emission have emerged as promising candidates for various applications. Despite the recent advances in the development of both novel and conventional ML materials, the limited access to ML materials that simultaneously have the attributes of high brightness, low cost, self‐recovery, and stability, and the lack of appropriate designs for constructing ML devices represent significant challenges that remain to be addressed to boost the practical application of ML materials. Herein, ML hybrids derived from a natural source, waste eggshell, with the aforementioned attributes are demonstrated. The introduction of the eggshell not only enables the preparation of the hybrid in a simple and cost‐effective manner but also contributes to the homochromatism (red, green, or blue emission), high brightness, and robustness of the resultant ML hybrids. The significant properties of the ML hybrids, together with the proposed structural design, such as porosity or core–shell structure, could expedite a series of mechanic‐optical applications, including the self‐luminous shoes for the conversion of human motions into light and light generators that efficiently harvest water wave energy. The fascinating properties, versatile designs, and the efficient protocol of “turning waste into treasure” of the ML hybrids represent significant advances in ML materials, promising a leap to the practical applications of this flouring material family.

Keywords

• blue energy harvesting
• eggshell waste
• mechanoluminescent hybrids
• smart sensing