Abstract
IT does not appear that any single mechanism suffices to explain frictional electrification completely1,2. The electrolytic mechanism of charge transfer has been discussed by Freundlich3, but is generally taken to presuppose the existence of thin aqueous films on the surfaces, and to have only limited application to ‘dry’ solids2. Further, the conductance of even the thinnest of aqueous films is likely to suppress electrification on separation4. Nevertheless, electrolytic action accounts very satisfactorily for the behaviour of solids with polar properties. Thus Knoblauch5 demonstrated the tendency of a large range of acids and bases to become electrified negatively and positively respectively, and obtained the best results with organic acids and bases. One concludes that the polar nature of these substances facilitated ionic processes in the presence of sorbed water molecules (not necessarily forming a separate phase), and that the acid donated excess positive ions (proton) and bases excess negative ions (hydroxyl). The results no doubt depend on the relative mobility of the ions, the larger ions tending to aggregate in both cases and were therefore less mobile than H+ and OH− ions.
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References
Shaw, P. E., and Leavey, E. W. L., Proc. Roy. Soc., A, 138, 502 (1932).
Loeb, L. B., Science, 102, 573 (1945).
Freundlich, H., “Colloid and Capillary Chemistry” (Methuen, 1926).
Medley, J. A., Brit. J. Appl. Phys. (in the press).
Knoblauch, Z. phys. Chem., 39, 225 (1902).
King, G., and Medley, J. A., J. Coll. Sci., 4, 1 (1949). Hearle, J. W. S., J. Text. Inst., 43, P194 (1952).
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MEDLEY, J. Fractional Electrification of Polar Polymers. Nature 171, 1077 (1953). https://doi.org/10.1038/1711077a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1711077a0
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