Frictional Electrification and Gaseous Discharge

Abstract

IT is well known that the leakage of charge from high-voltage static generators, such as the Van de Graaff machine, is controlled by use of high pressure or other suitable atmospheres which increase the dielectric strength of the medium in which they operate. The results reported below suggest that in a study of the mechanism of frictional electrification, quantitative measurements may be of doubtful value, because a similar leakage is apt to take place between the rubbing surfaces and to control the process of charge separation.