Tribocharging studies on inhabited cleanroom garments

Studies are reported on the surface voltages created on inhabited cleanroom garments when these are subject to tribocharging actions. It is shown that the voltage created per unit of charge does not depend on whether the garment fabrics include core conductive threads, giving very high surface resistivity values, or surface conductive threads, which show resistivity values well within the requirements of formal electrostatic Standards. Lower surface voltages per unit of charge are observed for the closer spacing of the conductive threads. These results call into question whether measurement of resistivity is the most appropriate basis for assessing the suitability of materials.