Abstract
When dielectric materials are brought into contact and then separated, they develop static electricity. For centuries, it has been assumed that such contact charging derives from the spatially homogeneous material properties (along the material's surface) and that within a given pair of materials, one charges uniformly positively and the other negatively. We demonstrate that this picture of contact charging is incorrect. While each contact-electrified piece develops a net charge of either positive or negative polarity, each surface supports a random “mosaic” of oppositely charged regions of nanoscopic dimensions. These mosaics of surface charge have the same topological characteristics for different types of electrified dielectrics and accommodate significantly more charge per unit area than previously thought.So much for that "settled science" consensus. Hat tip to American Thinker's Thomas Lifson's blog entry.
Ay, there’s the rub in triboelectricity :-)
As anybody who has tried to unpeel a stubborn roll of Saran Wrap knows, or tried to get a cut and wrinkled piece of that wrap unstuck from itself, yes the same insulating dielectric can assume different polarities of charge when touching itself.
I wonder if the polarities obtained thereby are random or if there is some way to force what they will be.
It’s amazing how little we know about things that can be directly and repeatedly observed and how much we pretend to know about things that we will never observe even once.
So if they are truly identical, how do the pieces decide which is going to become positive or negative?
>>> Charges build up due to exchange of material...<<<
So this is where the ZOT comes from.
“Well, Bobby, today THE MR. SCIENCE SHOW is outdoors in our station’s parking lot between McDonald’s and a tanning salon. We’re going to examine the wonders of static electricity. ‘Is static electricity like a mosaic?’ You remember the MR. SCIENCE Motto - ‘Doing is Knowing!’ Today, we will rub a balloon against someone’s hair. We’ll need to make this experiment bigger so that it’s plain for our viewers to see. So, I’ve brought in the Goodyear Blimp to be our balloon. And, of course, the only person with a head big enough to take on this challenge is Joy Behar’s. Welcome Joy! Now, go over and rub that monstrosity of a head against the blimp.........Wow.......I thought they didn’t use hydrogen in balloons anymore. That was one big explosion. Oh, the humanity! Not the blimp....just the fact that people had to see Joy Behar’s head. Once again, science has triumphed over superstition! ‘Is static electricity like a mosaic?’ The answer is ‘No, static electricity is more like a Salvador Dali painting.’ Remember, viewers, mention THE MISTER SCIENCE SHOW at the Harrison Avenue McDonalds and receive 15 cents off a small order of fries!
Van de Graaff ping.