The Secret of Static Electricity: Contact History Holds the Key
2025-02-25
Researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) have solved a centuries-old mystery surrounding static electricity. They discovered that the contact history of materials dictates how they exchange charge, explaining the long-observed unpredictability of contact electrification. Repeated contact smooths the material's surface at a nanoscopic level, altering its charging behavior. This breakthrough reveals order within the seemingly chaotic phenomenon of static electricity, offering crucial insights into electricity and electrostatics.
(phys.org)