Contact electrification between insulators: Phenomenological aspects

Abstract

A modified form of Peterson’s rotating Faraday cage is employed to study the dependence of electrification on the rate at which contacting insulator surfaces are separated. It is determined that the relevant parameters are the surface-charge densities and the perpendicular velocity of separation, independent of the size of bead used. Air-discharge and functional-heating effects were observed and avoided. Desorption experiments indicate that water plays a role in the electrification process of Al2O3 vs various glasses.