Triboluminescence of chrysene during mechanical stirring

The luminescence of chrysene and its isomers (tetracene, triphenylene) during grinding of microcrystals was studied. Triboluminescence of chrysene was detected. Its spectrum coincides with the photoluminescence spectrum. It has been shown that in an atmosphere of air and argon there is no gas component of the triboluminescence spectrum (N$_2$ and Ar lines). A mechanism for triboluminescence of chrysene is proposed, similar to the electroluminescence of crystals, during the recombination of charge carriers in the electric field of the crystalline layer. It was revealed that the low quantum yield of photoluminescence in centrosymmetric crystals is one of the reasons for the lack of registration of their triboluminescence.