Triboluminescence and X-Rays

Triboluminescence is shown to produce X-rays from the nanoparticles (NPs) that form as the sticky acrylic adhesive of Scotch tape is peeled from the polyethylene (PE) roll in a vacuum. Prior to peeling, atoms in the adhesive are not under electromagnetic (EM) confinement and have full thermal kT energy. But upon peeling, the atoms in NPs that form in the gap between adhesive and PE are under EM confinement at vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) frequencies that by quantum mechanics (QM) are restricted to vanishing kT energy. Momentarily, the NP atoms therefore have kT energy in excess of that allowed by QM. But the specific heat of NPs at VUV frequencies also vanishes, and therefore the excess kT energy cannot be conserved by an increase in temperature. Since the NPs have EM confinement frequencies at VUV levels, and since the lowest frequency allowed in the NP is at its EM frequency, the low frequency kT energy is frequency up-converted to VUV levels by quantum electrodynamics (QED). Conservation then proceeds by a burst of VUV radiation that by the photoelectric effect charges the adhesive positive while the liberated electrons charge the PE negative. Charge accumulates during peeling by the VUV radiation from a continual supply of NPs until the breakdown of voltage is reached across the gap between the adhesive and the PE. Electrons from the PE then are accelerated to velocities of about 10 m/s in gaps up to 1000 microns. Upon collision with the adhesive, electron bremstraahlung produces x-rays from 15 to 100 keV.