“Shining (Dis)Order”: COSA@Great Exhibition Road Festival, London

From June 14 to 16, 2024, COSA will host the " Shining (Dis)Order " stand ( https://www.greatexhibitionroadfestival.co.uk/event/shining-disorder/ ) at the major science outreach festival in the University District in the heart of London.

Acknowledgments @ Imperial College London, French Embassy.

COSA on the website of the French Embassy in the United Kingdom: https://uk.ambafrance.org/15-16-June-2024-Shining-Dis-order-Join-us-at-the-Great-exhibition-road

Here we are :) @ 1.15 min : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjLcz_Z_scg

Have you ever thought about what makes the rarest gems so beautiful, at the atomic level? From a physical chemist's perspective, the question can be rephrased as follows: "Does the value of gems come from atomic order or disorder?" This same question is central to explaining the astonishing phosphorescence, first observed in 1603 in Bologna Stone, a natural mineral that alchemists considered a fabulous "light sponge." Over the centuries, physical chemists have studied the properties of crystals and their interaction with light. With this knowledge, they continue to design new, brilliant and colorful materials for both art and technological applications. At the "Shining Dis(Order)" booth, you will find an illustration of the role of crystal order and, conversely, that of crystal defects in the phenomena of light absorption (color) and emission (luminescence) in solids. Examples will be taken from natural minerals (ruby, sapphire, emerald, Bologna stone), synthetic materials used in everyday applications (crystals for lasers, phosphorescent paints for safety signage/energy saving/art), as well as from emerging research topics in materials science (nanoparticles with persistent luminescence).

A. Bessière specializes in scintillation and persistent luminescence materials. As a physical chemist, she designs crystalline powders and nanocrystals for the latest imaging applications in the healthcare field.