What is Static Electricity? 
'Static electricity' arises when contacting surfaces are separated. If the charge that arises from differences between the surfaces cannot run away to earth quickly enough then it is trapped - it is 'static'. The 'quickly enough' relates to the time for the charge to leak away to earth - or to the time for the charge to spread out over the surface of a material.

Examples of 'static electricity' are the picking up of small pieces of paper by a rubbed comb or piece of plastic and the cling of thin light fabrics after they have been rubbed.

Static Electricity is important in industry as it can cause risks and problems that need to be avoided. It is also the basis for many useful applications.

A general overview on static electricity and relevant methods for its measurement is available on this Website as: "An Introduction to Electrostatic Measurements". This is an enhancement of the Notes prepared for the: 'Introductory Workshop in Electrostatics' that preceded the 'Electrostatics 2003' Conference held at Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh.

The Business of JCI 
The business of John Chubb Instrumentation Ltd is the design, development, manufacture and marketing of high quality instruments for electrostatic measurements.
Test methods have been developed to match instrumentation to end user requirements.

JCI Ltd offers consultancy and testing services and formal calibration of electrostatic measuring instruments to BS 7506: Part 2: 1996.

Whats on this Website? 
Explore this Website to find out about making electrostatic measurements, about JCI instruments and to access lots of supporting information about static electricity.

Why Bother About Static? 
Many materials, in particular plastics, easily become electrostatically charged when rubbed against other materials. Such 'triboelectric' charging can be used constructively - for example, in photocopying, electrostatic clamping and the retention of powder in electrostatic precipitation and paint spraying. Retained electrostatic charge also creates risks and causes problems in many areas of industry. It can cause ignition of flammable gases and give shocks to personnel. It can make thin films an d light fabrics cling, attract airborne dust and debris, damage semiconductor devices and upset the operation of microelectronic equipment (read more ... )