Johan Carl Wilcke published the first triboelectric series in a 1757 paper on static charges.12 Materials are often listed in order of the polarity of charge separation when they are touched with another object. A material towards the bottom of the series, when touched to a material near the top of the series, will acquire a more negative charge. The farther away two materials are from each other on the series, the greater the charge transferred. Materials near to each other on the series may not exchange any charge, or may even exchange the opposite of what is implied by the list. This can be caused by rubbing, by contaminants or oxides, or other variables. Lists vary somewhat as to the exact order of some materials, since the relative charge varies for nearby materials. From actual tests, there is little or no measurable difference in charge affinity between metals, probably because the rapid motion of conduction electrons cancels such differences. Wikipedia, Triboelectric Series
Triboelectric series:
Polyurethane foam Hair, oily skin Nylon, dry skin Glass Acrylic, Lucite Leather Rabbit's fur Quartz Mica Lead Cat's fur Silk Aluminium Paper (Small positive charge) Cotton Wool (No charge)
0Steel (No charge) Wood (Small negative charge) Amber Sealing wax Polystyrene Rubber balloon Resins Hard rubber Nickel, Copper Sulfur Brass, Silver Gold, Platinum Acetate, Rayon Synthetic rubber Polyester Styrene and polystyrene Orlon Plastic wrap Polyethylene (like Scotch tape) Polypropylene Vinyl (PVC) Silicon Teflon (PTFE) Silicone rubber Ebonite ?
Most negatively chargedSee Also
The Ox and the Chamois
Triboelectric series
Triboelectric effect
triboluminescence