Fracto-emission from embedded interfaces

Fracto-emission is the emission of particles and photons during and after fracture of materials. The observed emissions include electrons, ±ions, neutral species in both ground states and in excited states, and visible photons. Here we examine primarily photon and electron emission during failure of axially loaded stainless-steel fixtures (e.g., rods) embedded in epoxy. The observed signals provide time resolved information on the sequence of events involving interfacial fracture preceding pullout. In addition, we examine the emissions during frictional pullout following debonding. Over a large range of strain rates this pullout exhibits stick-slip behavior. These effects model the processes of fiber/matrix debonding and fiber pullout in a brittle matrix composite.