Fractoluminescence characterization of the energy dissipated during fast fracture of glass

TL;DR

This study investigates the light emitted during rapid glass fracture, revealing a temperature rise near the crack tip proportional to crack velocity, with implications for understanding fracture dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces fractoluminescence as a method to characterize energy dissipation during fast glass fracture, linking emitted spectra to crack velocity and temperature rise.

Findings

Light spectra follow black body radiation behavior.

Crack velocities estimated around 1300 m/s.

Fracture process zones extend over a few nanometers.

Abstract

Fractoluminescence experiments are performed on two kinds of silicate glasses. All the light spectra collected during dynamic fracture reveal a black body radiator behaviour, which is interpreted as a crack velocity-dependent temperature rise close to the crack tip. Crack velocities are estimated to be of the order of 1300 m.s$^{-1}$ and fracture process zones are shown to extend over a few nanometers.