Sonophotoluminescence from aqueous and non-aqueous solutions

The sonoluminescence generated in air-saturated aqueous and non-aqueous solutions using 515 kHz ultrasound has been used to vibronically excite several fluorescent solutes, namely fluorescein, eosin, pyranine and pyrene. Emission, referred to as ‘sonophotoluminescence’, was generated in situ with emission spectra that closely matched those obtained by direct photoexcitation of the solutes by an external light source. In the case of pyranine, experiments were also conducted in the presence of the surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). The presence of 1 mM SDS enhances the sonoluminescence and sonophotoluminescence signals above that seen in pure water by a factor of about 2. Pyrene sonophotoluminescence was observed in ethylene glycol. The emission was quenched by the addition of I−, providing good evidence that emission was from pyrene in bulk solution and not within, or on the surface of cavitation bubbles.