The accumulation of electrostatic charge on materials via contact electrification (tribocharging) is important for processes as varied as xerography and the separation of waste for recycling. Although contact electrification is ubiquitous, the molecular processes by which it occurs are still not well understood. This talk will describe the charging of liquids flowing through capillaries and show that it is consistent with the triboelectric series for solid materials. Calculated energies of neutral, charged, and radical species will indicate possible chemical intermediates, products, and mechanisms of tribocharging. This experimental and computational study is designed to understand the relationship between contact electrification and chemical structure, which is necessary to harness or control contact electrification in general.

Correlating contact electrification with chemical structure in liquid electrets

245th National Meeting (2013)

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