Synergy between Defects and Lattice Distortion Drives Self-Powered Elastico-Near-Infrared Mechanoluminescence in Cr3+-Doped Spinel Oxides

Yao Xiao; Kang Chen; Mingzi Sun; Puxian Xiong; Bolong Huang; Yongsheng Sun; Dongdan Chen; Jiulin Gan; Zhongmin Yang

doi:10.1002/advs.202510848

Synergy between Defects and Lattice Distortion Drives Self-Powered Elastico-Near-Infrared Mechanoluminescence in Cr³⁺-Doped Spinel Oxides

Yao Xiao (Co-first Author), Kang Chen (Co-first Author), Mingzi Sun (Co-first Author), Puxian Xiong^*, Bolong Huang^*, Yongsheng Sun, Dongdan Chen, Jiulin Gan^*, Zhongmin Yang

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Chemistry

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)

1 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars)

Abstract

Elastico-mechanoluminescence (ML) enables unique force-to-light transduction for applications in human-machine interaction and smart sensing, yet traditional trap-controlled models fail to explain self-powered ML phenomena. Here, a Cr³⁺-doped spinel oxide exhibiting autonomous near-infrared (NIR) ML is reported, where self-powered emission originates from synergistic interactions between local lattice distortions and multi-defect networks. Theoretical calculations reveal that Cr³⁺ doping activates nearest-neighbor sites to generate mid-gap states, facilitating stress-driven electron tunneling to luminescent centers without external excitation. The material shows narrowband NIR emission (711 nm) from the spin-forbidden transition, with linear ML intensity response to mechanical stress and negligible persistent luminescence. Proof-of-concept demonstrations in bright-field anti-counterfeiting (NIR QR-code imaging) and biomedical tissue penetration (10 mm pork) validate its practical utility. This work establishes a defect-distortion coupling mechanism for self-powered NIR-ML, providing a theoretical framework to guide the design of next-generation autonomous optomechanical materials for energy-efficient sensing and bio-imaging. © 2025 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.

Original language	English
Article number	e10848
Number of pages	10
Journal	Advanced Science
Volume	12
Issue number	39
Online published	7 Aug 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202510848
Publication status	Published - 20 Oct 2025

Funding

The authors acknowledge the financial support from Guangdong S&T Programme (No. 2024B0101080001); National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52202003); Guangzhou Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (No. SL2022A04J00746) and Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation (No. 2023A1515011893).

Research Keywords

intrinsic defects
lattice distortion
near-infrared mechanoluminescence
self-powered
synergy effect

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title = "Synergy between Defects and Lattice Distortion Drives Self-Powered Elastico-Near-Infrared Mechanoluminescence in Cr3+-Doped Spinel Oxides",

abstract = "Elastico-mechanoluminescence (ML) enables unique force-to-light transduction for applications in human-machine interaction and smart sensing, yet traditional trap-controlled models fail to explain self-powered ML phenomena. Here, a Cr3+-doped spinel oxide exhibiting autonomous near-infrared (NIR) ML is reported, where self-powered emission originates from synergistic interactions between local lattice distortions and multi-defect networks. Theoretical calculations reveal that Cr3+ doping activates nearest-neighbor sites to generate mid-gap states, facilitating stress-driven electron tunneling to luminescent centers without external excitation. The material shows narrowband NIR emission (711 nm) from the spin-forbidden transition, with linear ML intensity response to mechanical stress and negligible persistent luminescence. Proof-of-concept demonstrations in bright-field anti-counterfeiting (NIR QR-code imaging) and biomedical tissue penetration (10 mm pork) validate its practical utility. This work establishes a defect-distortion coupling mechanism for self-powered NIR-ML, providing a theoretical framework to guide the design of next-generation autonomous optomechanical materials for energy-efficient sensing and bio-imaging. {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.",

keywords = "intrinsic defects, lattice distortion, near-infrared mechanoluminescence, self-powered, synergy effect",

author = "Yao Xiao and Kang Chen and Mingzi Sun and Puxian Xiong and Bolong Huang and Yongsheng Sun and Dongdan Chen and Jiulin Gan and Zhongmin Yang",

year = "2025",

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doi = "10.1002/advs.202510848",

language = "English",

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Synergy between Defects and Lattice Distortion Drives Self-Powered Elastico-Near-Infrared Mechanoluminescence in Cr³⁺-Doped Spinel Oxides. / Xiao, Yao (Co-first Author); Chen, Kang (Co-first Author); Sun, Mingzi (Co-first Author) et al.
In: Advanced Science, Vol. 12, No. 39, e10848, 20.10.2025.

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Synergy between Defects and Lattice Distortion Drives Self-Powered Elastico-Near-Infrared Mechanoluminescence in Cr3+-Doped Spinel Oxides

AU - Xiao, Yao

AU - Chen, Kang

AU - Sun, Mingzi

AU - Xiong, Puxian

AU - Huang, Bolong

AU - Sun, Yongsheng

AU - Chen, Dongdan

AU - Gan, Jiulin

AU - Yang, Zhongmin

PY - 2025/10/20

Y1 - 2025/10/20

N2 - Elastico-mechanoluminescence (ML) enables unique force-to-light transduction for applications in human-machine interaction and smart sensing, yet traditional trap-controlled models fail to explain self-powered ML phenomena. Here, a Cr3+-doped spinel oxide exhibiting autonomous near-infrared (NIR) ML is reported, where self-powered emission originates from synergistic interactions between local lattice distortions and multi-defect networks. Theoretical calculations reveal that Cr3+ doping activates nearest-neighbor sites to generate mid-gap states, facilitating stress-driven electron tunneling to luminescent centers without external excitation. The material shows narrowband NIR emission (711 nm) from the spin-forbidden transition, with linear ML intensity response to mechanical stress and negligible persistent luminescence. Proof-of-concept demonstrations in bright-field anti-counterfeiting (NIR QR-code imaging) and biomedical tissue penetration (10 mm pork) validate its practical utility. This work establishes a defect-distortion coupling mechanism for self-powered NIR-ML, providing a theoretical framework to guide the design of next-generation autonomous optomechanical materials for energy-efficient sensing and bio-imaging. © 2025 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.

AB - Elastico-mechanoluminescence (ML) enables unique force-to-light transduction for applications in human-machine interaction and smart sensing, yet traditional trap-controlled models fail to explain self-powered ML phenomena. Here, a Cr3+-doped spinel oxide exhibiting autonomous near-infrared (NIR) ML is reported, where self-powered emission originates from synergistic interactions between local lattice distortions and multi-defect networks. Theoretical calculations reveal that Cr3+ doping activates nearest-neighbor sites to generate mid-gap states, facilitating stress-driven electron tunneling to luminescent centers without external excitation. The material shows narrowband NIR emission (711 nm) from the spin-forbidden transition, with linear ML intensity response to mechanical stress and negligible persistent luminescence. Proof-of-concept demonstrations in bright-field anti-counterfeiting (NIR QR-code imaging) and biomedical tissue penetration (10 mm pork) validate its practical utility. This work establishes a defect-distortion coupling mechanism for self-powered NIR-ML, providing a theoretical framework to guide the design of next-generation autonomous optomechanical materials for energy-efficient sensing and bio-imaging. © 2025 The Author(s). Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.

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KW - near-infrared mechanoluminescence

KW - self-powered

KW - synergy effect

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