The Dissipation Mechanism of Anti-static Clothing
Anti-static clothing refers to workwear made from anti-static fabric to prevent static buildup. Anti-static fabric is made by interweaving conductive fibers, anti-static synthetic fibers, or a blend of the two at roughly equal intervals or evenly during weaving. Conductive fibers are a general term for fibers made wholly or partially of conductive or sub-conductive materials, such as metal or organic materials. Their volume resistivity, v, ranges from 10⁴ to 10⁹ /cm². Based on the distribution of the conductive components within the fiber, conductive fibers can be categorized into three types: uniform conductive fibers, conductive-composite fibers, and conductive-composite fibers. Currently, the vast majority of anti-static fabrics are made from conductive fibers, with conductive-composite fibers being the most commonly used. Anti-static workwear made from chemical fabrics with conductive fibers incorporated into them dissipates static electricity based on two mechanisms: charge leakage and neutralization. When grounded, static electricity on the fabric is neutralized by corona discharge from the conductive fibers and can also be discharged to the ground through the conductive fibers. When ungrounded, static electricity is dissipated through weak corona discharge from the conductive fibers. Practice has shown that anti-static work clothes can effectively suppress static electricity in clothing and eliminate or reduce the hazards of electrostatic discharge.
