Crystalloluminescence is the effect of
luminescence
Luminescence is spontaneous emission of light by a substance not resulting from heat; or "cold light".
It is thus a form of cold-body radiation. It can be caused by chemical reactions, electrical energy, subatomic motions or stress on a crysta ...
produced during
crystallization
Crystallization is the process by which solid forms, where the atoms or molecules are highly organized into a structure known as a crystal. Some ways by which crystals form are precipitating from a solution, freezing, or more rarely de ...
. The phenomenon was first reported in the 1800s from the rapid crystallization of
potassium sulfate
Potassium sulfate (US) or potassium sulphate (UK), also called sulphate of potash (SOP), arcanite, or archaically potash of sulfur, is the inorganic compound with formula K2SO4, a white water-soluble solid. It is commonly used in fertilizers, prov ...
from an
aqueous solution
An aqueous solution is a solution in which the solvent is water. It is mostly shown in chemical equations by appending (aq) to the relevant chemical formula. For example, a solution of table salt, or sodium chloride (NaCl), in water would ...
.
[''Light emission during growth and destruction of crystals. Crystalloluminescence and triboluminescence'', Jeffrey I. Zink, and B. P. Chandra; J. Phys. Chem., 1982, 86 (1), pp 5–7]
References
Luminescence
Light sources
{{physical-chemistry-stub