Detecting Mechanoluminescence From ZnS:Mn Powder Using a High Speed Camera

There are a number of techniques currently being used for damage detection and monitoring of civil, aerospace, and military structures and aircraft. However, the major drawbacks of the current techniques are that they do not provide in-situ and distributed sensing. In addition, the associated cost resulting from the downtime required for periodic non-destructive inspections can be very high for aerospace structures and nearly impossible for remote Lunar habitats. Mechanoluminescent-based sensor systems may be able to overcome these challenges as they have the potential for wireless, in-situ, and distributed sensing that can enable real-time continuous monitoring of both the magnitude and location of damage with respect to the host structure. They can also be used as stress, fracture, and damage sensors. However, if these sensors are to become a reality, the sensing of these impacts must move out of the lab setting using expensive light detectors and oscilloscopes. Instead, inexpensive robust cameras must be utilized to reduce the cost of sensors and make them more portable. This research explores the use of replacing the typical light detector and oscilloscope with a high speed camera. The results indicate that a high-speed camera can be used to replace the typical lab setup and yield the same results. Thus, indicating that it is possible to migrate from light detectors to inexpensive cameras in the future.