The position of solid carbon dioxide in the triboelectric series

© 2019 CSIRO. The process of releasing liquid carbon dioxide from a fire extinguisher is accompanied by a strong static charging of the plastic material making up the extinguisher discharge horn. Firefighters often report an electric shock when operating CO2 extinguishers, but the origin of this...

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Main Authors: Zhang, Jinyang, Ciampi, Simone
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: CSIRO PUBLISHING 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP190100735
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/79497
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author Zhang, Jinyang
Ciampi, Simone
author_facet Zhang, Jinyang
Ciampi, Simone
author_sort Zhang, Jinyang
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © 2019 CSIRO. The process of releasing liquid carbon dioxide from a fire extinguisher is accompanied by a strong static charging of the plastic material making up the extinguisher discharge horn. Firefighters often report an electric shock when operating CO2 extinguishers, but the origin of this electrostatic hazard is largely unknown. Here, we begin to investigate this phenomenon, and test the hypothesis of plastic samples being tribocharged on contact with rapidly flowing solid CO2. Using Faraday pail measurements, we show that non-conductive polymers gain a net static charge when brought in and out of contact with dry ice (solid CO2). These measurements of charge sign and magnitude give indirect evidence helping to place solid CO2 for the first time on the triboelectric series. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) samples acquire a negative charge when rubbed against dry ice, whereas poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), glass, and nylon surfaces become positively charged. Therefore, we suggest the position of dry ice in the triboelectric series to be close to that of materials with stable cations and unstable anions, possibly locating it between PMMA and PVC.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-794972020-08-06T03:45:59Z The position of solid carbon dioxide in the triboelectric series Zhang, Jinyang Ciampi, Simone Science & Technology Physical Sciences Chemistry, Multidisciplinary Chemistry STATIC ELECTRICITY CHARGE ELECTRIFICATION HAZARD SURFACE © 2019 CSIRO. The process of releasing liquid carbon dioxide from a fire extinguisher is accompanied by a strong static charging of the plastic material making up the extinguisher discharge horn. Firefighters often report an electric shock when operating CO2 extinguishers, but the origin of this electrostatic hazard is largely unknown. Here, we begin to investigate this phenomenon, and test the hypothesis of plastic samples being tribocharged on contact with rapidly flowing solid CO2. Using Faraday pail measurements, we show that non-conductive polymers gain a net static charge when brought in and out of contact with dry ice (solid CO2). These measurements of charge sign and magnitude give indirect evidence helping to place solid CO2 for the first time on the triboelectric series. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) samples acquire a negative charge when rubbed against dry ice, whereas poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), glass, and nylon surfaces become positively charged. Therefore, we suggest the position of dry ice in the triboelectric series to be close to that of materials with stable cations and unstable anions, possibly locating it between PMMA and PVC. 2019 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/79497 10.1071/CH19239 English http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP190100735 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE160100732 CSIRO PUBLISHING fulltext
spellingShingle Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chemistry
STATIC ELECTRICITY
CHARGE
ELECTRIFICATION
HAZARD
SURFACE
Zhang, Jinyang
Ciampi, Simone
The position of solid carbon dioxide in the triboelectric series
title The position of solid carbon dioxide in the triboelectric series
title_full The position of solid carbon dioxide in the triboelectric series
title_fullStr The position of solid carbon dioxide in the triboelectric series
title_full_unstemmed The position of solid carbon dioxide in the triboelectric series
title_short The position of solid carbon dioxide in the triboelectric series
title_sort position of solid carbon dioxide in the triboelectric series
topic Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chemistry
STATIC ELECTRICITY
CHARGE
ELECTRIFICATION
HAZARD
SURFACE
url http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP190100735
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP190100735
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/79497