Detection of OH radical and O atom during triboluminescence of hydrated cerium/terbium sulfates

Triboluminescence of Се2(SO4)3·8H2O and Tb2(SO4)3·8H2O crystals has been studied. For the first time spectral evidence for a contribution of light-emitting products OH⁎ (283 and 290 nm maxima, 1–0 transition; 308.4 and 309.6 nm, 0–0 transition) and excited oxygen atom O⁎ (777 nm, 3P5P—3S5S) produced via mechano-chemical decomposition of H2O and O2 molecules in the destruction of crystal hydrates of the salts to the gas-phase component of triboluminescence has been obtained.