Relation of Charge to Frictional Work in the Static Electrification of Filaments

Abstract

A study of the generation of electrical charge on fibrous materials was carried out using the apparatus of Hersh and Montgomery, in which a fiber is held fixed in an insulated lower yoke while a second fiber in a grounded upper yoke is rubbed across it under controlled ambient and mechanical conditions. The original apparatus was modi fied to permit measurement of the frictional work of rubbing as well as the charge. Precautions were taken to discharge both fibers with a radioactive source after each measurement.

It was found that, at any one velocity, several thousand rubs were required before steady values of charge transferred and frictional work of rubbing were obtained.

It was also found that the velocity of rubbing affected strongly both the charge trans ferred and the frictional work of rubbing, the former being found to decrease and the latter to increase with increasing velocity. This has been explained in terms of local heating, plastic junctions, and material transfer which occur during rubbing. An em pirical relationship relating the velocity of rub, the frictional work of rubbing, and the charge transferred was found to hold in the great majority of the cases examined.

From the experimental data obtained it was possible to calculate the mechanical energy expended in any one rub and to estimate the resulting electrical energy. Thus for any pair of fibers under a given set of conditions it was possible to calculate the efficiency of the process of converting mechanical energy to triboelectrical energy. At 30° C. and 33% RH, measured efficiencies were very low (0.00-0.42%); at a very low humidity, efficiencies as high as 2.0% were found.

The presence of a lubricant on the fiber surfaces during rubbing was found in most cases to cause a decrease in both the charge and frictional work of rubbing.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Arthur, D.F. , J. Textile Inst. 46, T723 ( 1955).

Ballou, J.W. , TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL 24, 146 (1954).

Bowden, F.P. and Tabor, D. , "The Friction and Lubrication of Solids," Oxford , Clarendon Press, Chapter I ( 1950 ).

Bulgin, D. , Brit. J. Appl. Phys., Supp. No. 2, S83 (1953).

Quintelier et al. [56] measured coefficient of friction and charge developed for cellulose acetate yarns running over a steel surface and found the charge to increase linearly with coefficient of friction.

Cates, D.M. and White, H.J. , Jr., J. Polymer Sci. 20, 155 (1956).

Chwolson. O.D. , "Traite de Physique," 4th Ed., Part I, Paris. A. Herman, 264-268 (1913).

Cohen, A. and Curs, A. , Z. Phys. 29, 186 (1924).

Cohen. A. and Lotz, A. , Z. Phys. 5, 242 (1921).

10.

Cooper. F.W. , Brit. J. Appl. Phys., Supp. No. 2, S71 (1953).

11.

Czyzack, S.J. and Williams, D.T. , Science 114, 66 (1951).

12.

Debeau. D. , Phys. Rev. 66. 9 (1943).

13.

Faraday. M. , "Experimental Researches in Electricity," Vol. II, London, Bernard Quaritch, 124 (1884).

14.

Fleming, J.A. , Proc. Phys. Soc. 51, 402 (1939).

15.

Fleming J.A. , Proc. Phys. Soc. 53, 51 (1941).

16.

French. N.R. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A119, 107 (1928). 16. Frenkel, J. , Phil. Mag. 33, 297 (1917).

17.

Gill, E.W.B. , Nature 162, 568 (1948).

18.

Gill, E.W.B. and Alfrey, G.F. , Nature 163, 172 (1949 ).

19.

Gonsalves, V.E. , TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL 23, 711 (1953).

20.

Gonsalves, V.E. and van Dongeren , B.J. , Enka and Rreda Rayon Rev., English Ed. 8, 1941 (1953).

21.

Gonsalves, V.E. and van Dongeren , B.J. , TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL 24, 1 (1954).

22.

Graham, G.W. , Textile Merc. 128, 16 (1953).

23.

Gruner, H. , Faserforsch. u. Textiltech. 4, Nos. 6 & 7, 249 (1953).

24.

Hanstock. R.F. , Phil. Mag. 13, 81 (1932).

25.

Harper, W.R. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A205, 83 (1951).

26.

Harper, W.R. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A218, 111 (1953).

27.

Hayek, M. and Chromey, F.C. , Am. Dyestuff Reptr. 40, 164 (1951).

28.

Helmholtz, H. , Ann. Phys. (Lps) 7, 337 (1879).

29.

Henry. P.S.H. , Brit. J. Appl. Phys., Supp. No. 2, S31 (1953).

30.

Henry, P.S.H. , Brit. J. Appl. Phys., Supp. No. 2, S78 (1953).

31.

Henry, P.S.H. , Textile Inst. Conference on Static Electricity in Textiles, Zurich. Switzerland (1956).

32.

Hersh, S.P. and Montgomery. D.J. , TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL 25, 279 ( 1955).

33.

Hersh, S.P. and Montgomery. D.J. , TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL 26. 903 (1956).

34.

Hansen, W.W. and Tabor, D. , TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL 27, 300 (1957).

35.

Hess, E. , Z. Phys. 78. 430 (1932).

36.

Hoorweg, J.L. , Ann. Physik u. Chem. 11, 133 ( 1880 ).

37.

Jamin, M. and Bouty M. , "Course de Physique, Electricité Statique," 3rd Ed., Vol. I, Paris, Gauthiér-Villars, 366 (1878).

38.

Jones, M.W. , Phil. Mag. 29, 261 (1915).

39.

Keggin, J.F. , Morris, G. , and Yuill, A.M. , J. Textile Inst. 40, T702 ( 1949).

40.

Kluge, W. , Ann. Physik 1, 1 (1929).

41.

Knoblauch, O. , Z. Phys. Chem. 39, 225 (1902).

42.

Kunkel, W.B. , J. Appl. Phys. 21, 820, 833 (1950).

43.

Lehmicke, D.J. , Am. Dyestuff Reptr. 38, 853 (1949).

44.

Levy, J.B. and Dillon, J.H. , TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL 26, 953 (1956).

45.

Loeb, L.B. , Science 102, 573 (1945).

46.

Macky, W.A. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A119, 107 (1928).

47.

Martin. A.J.P. , Proc. Phys. Soc. 53, 186 (1941).

48.

McClelland, J.A. and Power. C.J. , Proc. Roy. Irish Acad. 34, 40 (1917).

49.

Medley, J.A. , Nature 171, 1077 (1953).

50.

Medley, J.A. J. fextile Inst. 45, T123 ( 1954).

51.

Owen, M. , Phil. Mag. 17. 457 (1909).

52.

Peace. A.G. , Brit. J. Appl. Phys., Supp. No. 2, S94 (1953).

53.

Peclet, E. , Ann. chim. et phys. (2) 57, 337 (1834).

54.

Peclet, E. , Ann. chim et phys. (2) 71, 83 (1839).

55.

Peterson, J.W. , J. Appl. Phys. 25, 501 (1954).

56.

Quintelier, G. , Warzée, M. , and Sioncke, R. , Textile Inst. Conference on Static Electricity in Textiles, Zurich, Switzerland (1956).

57.

Richards, H.F. , Phys. Rev. 16, 290 (1920).

58.

Richards, H.F. , Phys. Rev. 22, 122 (1923).

59.

Roller, D. and Roller, D.H.D. , Am. J. Phys. 21, 343 (1953).

60.

Rudge, W.A.D. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A90, 256 (1914).

61.

Sandford, F. , Phys. Rev. 12, 130 (1918).

62.

Schnurmann, R. , Proc. Phys. Soc. 52, 179 (1940).

63.

Shooter, R.V. and Tabor, D. , Proc. Phys. Soc. (London) B65, 661 (1952).

64.

Shooter, R.V. and Tabor, D. , Proc. Phys. Soc. (London) 53, 547 (1941).

65.

Shaw, P.E. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A94, 16 (1917).

66.

Shaw, P.E. , Proc. Phys. Soc. 39, 449 (1927).

67.

Shaw, P.E. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A122, 49 (1929).

68.

Shaw, P.E. and Hanstock, R.F. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A128, 478 (1930).

69.

Shaw. P.E. and Hanstock, R.F. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A128. 480 (1930).

70.

Shaw, P.E. and Jex, C.S. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A111, 339 (1926).

71.

Shaw, P.E. and Jex, C.S. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A118, 97 (1928).

72.

Shaw, P.E. and Jex, C.S. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A118, 108 (1928).

73.

Shaw, P.E. and Leavey, E.W.L. , Phil. Mag. 10, 809 (1930).

74.

Shaw, P.E. and leavey, E.W.L. , Proc. Roy. Soc. A138, 502 (1932).

75.

Swann, H.W. , Brit. J. Appl. Phys., Supp. No. 2, S68 (1953).

76.

Van Ostenburg, D.O. and Montgomery. D.J. , TEXTILE RESEARCH JOURNAL 28, 22 ( 1958).

77.

Vick, F.A. , Brit. J. Appl. Phys., Supp. No. 2. S1 (1953).

78.

Vollarth, R.E. , Phys. Rev. 42, 298 (1932).

79.

Wolf, L. , Ann. Physik 1, 260 (1929).