Indeed, the X-rays in triboluminescence are similar to those formed in static electricity first found by the early Greeks when they rubbed amber rods with a cloth. See http://www.nanoqed.net at links “A Unified Theory of Electrification in Natural Processes” and “Natural Electrification.”

In the production of X-rays by sticky tape, atoms in the adhesives before tearing are not under electromagnetic (EM) confinement and have full thermal kT energy. But in NPs, the atoms are under EM confinement at vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) frequencies that by quantum mechanics (QM) are restricted to vanishing kT energy. Therefore, as NPs form the atoms have excess kT energy beyond that allowed by QM. But the specific heat of NPs at high EM frequencies also vanishes, and therefore the excess in kT energy cannot be conserved by an increase in temperature.

Instead, conservation proceeds by the quantum electrodynamics (QED) induced frequency up-conversion of kT energy to the EM confinement frequencies of the NPs at VUV levels. Each NP in the many formed therefore emits VUV electrons leaving behind positive charged molecules on both sticky and substrate sides, i.e., a film of adhesive remains on the substrate. The VUV electrons are then accelerated to high velocities in the vacuum space by the positive charged adhesive on both the tape and substrate film. Electron collision with either tape or substrate causes rapid deceleration that by Bremsstrahlung produces the X-rays that enable radiographs of human fingers.

Triboluminescence is a variant of static electricity, but neither relies on physically separating electrons from atoms. Einstein showed by the photoelectric effect that EM and not mechanical energy is required to remove an electron from an atom. It is now an old wives tale that one can separate electrons from a material by rubbing or tearing.

You’re being far too literal there.

I mean, duh. Do I need to explain it was a swipe at the TSA, and a side-swipe at BoingBoing at the same time since every 3rd post is about TSA security theatre shenanigans over entirely harmless daily trivialities? I guess I did need to.

What would be really super awesome would be rigging this up in a backscatter detector – which allows for variable depth snooping, and with something like this the relatively low energy would still be useful. Given the potentially inexpensive fabrication that could be a dangerous tool in the hands of the masses.

Checkout:

http://www.prlog.org/10173358-nanoparticles-that-form-in-peeling-scotch-tape-produce-rays.html

QED

I’ve seen this when opening self-seal envelopes in the dark.

Quite amazing that they actually see this as a potential method of producing cheap x-rays for practical applications.

I was really kind of secretly hoping that when they tried the new tape for the first time, there’d be a series of blinding flashes during which you could see their skeletons, and then they’d just fall in a smoking pile of ashes to the floor.

Also, why are so many of you sealing envelopes in perfect darkness? That’s odd.

http://www.nature.com/nature/videoarchive/x-rays/

The link to the news story that Beanolini is requesting is:

http://www.nature.com/news/2008/081022/full/news.2008.1185.html

I was just about to say the same thing. :-)

–Phil.

P.S. “Miltonic Fnosko”?? How on earth am I supposed to read that captcha?

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/multimedia/2008/10/gallery_xray_tape

=]

Imagine the savings in airport security theater: “no need for that machine, officer, just pull on the convenient scotch tape I used to wrap my package and you’ll be able to see right through it…“

Given the martydom of the sippy cups and the intensive questioning of infants who show up on the no-fly list (just to make sure they’re really not the actual terrorist in a 10-lbs disguise), I’d say that’s a yeppers. In all seriousness, it would probably not surprise any of us scotch tape were to show up on the airline websites for those reasons.

Haven’t they seen Total Recall?