Materials that Cause Static Electricity
About 5 min read
(updated 30 May 2023)
When you rub two materials together, some combinations can cause or create more static electricity than others. Since static electricity is the collection of electrically charged particles on the surface of a material, various materials have a tendency of either giving up electrons and becoming positive (+) in charge or attracting electrons and becoming negative (−) in charge.
The Triboelectric Series is a list of materials, showing which have a greater tendency to become positive (+) and which have a greater tendency to become negative (−). The list is a handy tool to determine which combinations of materials create the most static electricity.
Questions you may have include:
- What are materials in the Triboelectric Series?
- What are the best combinations of materials?
- What are acceptable combinations?
This lesson will answer those questions. Useful tool: Units Conversion
Triboelectric Series
Common materials are listed according how well they create static electricity when rubbed with another material, as well as what charge the material will possess.
Become positive in charge
The following materials tend to give up electrons when brought in contact with other materials. That means they will have an increase of positive (+) charges.
The materials are listed with those that have the greatest tendency to give up electrons at the top to those that barely give up electrons.
| Most (+) charges | Air | Greatest tendency for giving up electrons and becoming highly positive (+) in charge |
| Dry human skin | Greatest tendency of a solid to give up electrons and becoming highly positive (+) in charge | |
Leather | ||
Rabbit fur | Fur is often used to create static electricity | |
Glass | The glass on your TV screen gets charged and collects dust | |
| Moderate (+) charges | Human hair | “Flyaway hair” is a good example of having a moderate positive (+) charge |
Nylon | ||
Wool | ||
Lead | A surprise that lead would collect as much static electricity as cat fur | |
Cat fur | ||
Silk | ||
Aluminum | Gives up some electrons | |
| Least (+) charges | Paper | |
Neutral
There are very few materials that do not tend to readily attract or give up electrons when brought in contact or rubbed with other materials.
Cotton | Best for non-static clothes | |
Steel | Not useful for static electricity | |
Become negative in charge
The following materials tend to attract electrons when brought in contact with other materials. They are listed from those with the least tendency to attract electrons to those that readily attract electrons.
| Least (−) charges | Wood | Attracts some electrons, but is almost neutral |
Amber | ||
Hard rubber | Some combs are made of hard rubber | |
Nickel, Copper | Copper brushes used in Wimshurst electrostatic generator | |
Brass, Silver | ||
Gold, Platinum | It is surprising that these metals attract electrons almost as much as polyester | |
Polyester | Clothes have static cling | |
Styrene (Styrofoam) | Packing material seems to stick to everything | |
| Moderate (−) charges | Saran Wrap | You can see how Saran Wrap will stick to things on (+) list |
Polyurethane | ||
Polyethylene (like Scotch Tape) | Pull Scotch Tape off (+) surface and it will become charged | |
Polypropylene | ||
Vinyl (PVC) | Many electrons will collect on PVC surface | |
Silicon | ||
| Most (−) charges | Teflon | Greatest tendency of gathering electrons on its surface and becoming highly negative (−) in charge |
Best combinations to create static electricity
The best combinations of materials to create static electricity would be to have one material from the positive charge list and one from the negative charge list. Examples include combining human skin with polyester clothes, combing your hair with a plastic comb, and rubbing fur on a Plexiglas rod.
Skin and polyester clothes
A common complaint people have in the winter is that they shoot sparks when touching objects. This is typically caused because they have dry skin, which can become highly positive (+) in charge, especially when the clothes they wear are made of polyester material, which can become negative (−) in charge.
People that build up static charges due to dry skin are advised to wear all-cotton clothes, which is neutral. Also, moist skin reduces the collection of charges.
Combing your hair
Human hair becomes positive (+) in charge when combed. A hard rubber or plastic comb will collect negative (−) charges on its surface. Since similar charges repel, the hair strands will push away from each other, especially if the hair is very dry. This is called “flyaway” hair. Since the comb is negatively charged, it will attract object with a positive charge—like hair. It will also even attract material with no charge—like small pieces of paper.
Fur and Plexiglas rod
Rubbing a Plexiglas rod with rabbit fur or wool will give the rod a negative charge. Although the rod can be used to pick up scraps of paper, the fur and wool quickly lose their charge.
Moderate combinations
When two materials that tend to give up electrons are rubbed together, the one with the greatest tendency will moderately become positive (+) in charge. Likewise, when two materials that tend to attract electrons are rubbed together, the one with the greatest tendency will moderately become negative (−) in charge.
Silk and glass
Rubbing a glass rod with a silk cloth will charge the glass with positive charges. The silk does not retain any charges for long.
Saran Wrap
Unrolling a piece of Saran Wrap or similar plastic wrap creates negative charges on the sheet. It will tend to stick to neutral items.
Summary
Various materials have a tendency of either giving up electrons and becoming positive (+) in charge or attracting electrons and becoming negative (−) in charge. The Triboelectric Series is a list of materials, showing the relative tendency to become charged. This list can be used to determine which combinations of materials create the most static electricity.
Be considerate of others and you will succeed
Resources and references
Websites
Triboelectric Series – Listing of materials from SiliconFarEast.com
Triboelectric Series – EESemi.com
Triboelectric effect – Wikipedia
Triboelectric Charging of Common Objects – Applications from the University of Rochester
Background of Triboelectric Effect – Harvard University
Electrostatic voltmeter – Wikipedia