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Hygroelectricity: The Atmosphere as a Charge Reservoir

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Chemical Electrostatics

Abstract

The adsorption of water vapor on solids contributes excess charge to them, depending on the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity and on the acid–base properties of the solid surface. This is a complicating factor in the study of water adsorption that was observed in many different systems: cellulose, various metals and particulate solids including oxides, clay and surfactants. Another important consequence of water adsorption on solids is its effect in modifying charge patterns in thermoplastics and other hydrophobic solids, but under a slower kinetics than in hydrophilic solids. For this reason, atmospheric relative humidity is an important parameter in many experimental techniques, like Kelvin force microscopy. Water itself acquires net charge under different conditions: by flow electrification, or when it drops from a biased needle and also when bulk water is divided into fine aerosol particles. Each type of phenomena produces excess charge by a different mechanism.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

    Fernando Galembeck

  2. Departament of Physics, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Thiago A. L. Burgo

Authors
  1. Fernando Galembeck
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  2. Thiago A. L. Burgo
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Galembeck, F., A. L. Burgo, T. (2017). Hygroelectricity: The Atmosphere as a Charge Reservoir. In: Chemical Electrostatics. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-52374-3_6

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