01.11.

2010

Principle of static charge generation & dissipation mechanism by rubber cot

+ +

+ +

Dissipative materials have a surface resistivity equal to or greater than 1 x 105 /sq but + + Rubber cots inner core (PVC OR Alu core) less than 1 x 1012 /sq or a volume resistivity equal to or greater than 1 x 104 -cm but less 11+ 2 + than 1 x 10 -cm. For these materials, the charges flow to ground more slowly and in a + + Static charges accumulated on cots surface somewhat more controlled manner than with conductive materials.

+ + + Rubber cot layer Electrostatic + shielding materials have a conductive layer with a surface resistivity of less Material drafted than 1 x 104 /sq or a volume resistivity of less than 1 x 103 -cm per millimeter of

thickness.2 For ESD-sensitive devices, these materials provide Faraday cage protection from energy transfer. Steel bottom fluted roller Insulative materials are defined as those having a surface resistivity of at least 1 x 1012 /sq or a volume resistivity of at least 1 x 1011 -cm.1 Insulative materials prevent or limit the flow of electrons across their surface or through their volume. Insulative materials have a high electrical resistance and are difficult to ground. Static charges remain in place on these Static charges accumulated on cots surface materials for a very long time.

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Core acting as a medium between metal to rubber and electrical conductivity of this layer is + - + - + - + - Very important for charge neutralization

+-+-+-++-+-+-+-+-+-+Charge neutralization Fibre Strands Bottom steel Fluted roller

Earth Note that the static charges comes in either polarity + or -

Conductive cots:
Any synthetic rubber cot which is used in front & back line positions of a spinning frame can be said Conductive if it obeys the following rules. 1. The rubber cots (Any shore A hardness) should have a surface resistivity less than 1 x 105 /sq or a volume resistivity less than 1 x 104 -cm.1 with a low electrical resistance, 2. From cots working surface to its inner core there should be closed electrical path so that static charges build up on surface will be easily conducted by the rubber cot and dissipated. 3. The electrical resistance between inner layers of the cots to outer most layers should be minimum In other words cots surface resistivity should <1 x 105Ohm/ Sq. Area and volumetric resistivity should be <1 x 104ohm /Cubic area

Conductive cot characteristics

Surface resistance <1 x 105 Ohm/ Sq.Area

Volumetric resistivity should be <1 x 104ohm /Cubic area

4.

Most of the manufactures uses Nitrile rubber for making cots & aprons and surface resistivity of both soft & hard cots measures as high as 1013 Ohm / Sq.Area which falls in insulative range. So its clear that any synthetic rubber cots of any shore hardness cant be conductive no matter what type of raw material they use & manufacturing technique they adopt Always a synthetic rubber cot will be nonconductive one!

The below table will shows the electrical properties of various material

Material Type Conductive Dissipative Electrostatic shielding Insulative

Surface Resistivity Volume Resistivity (/sq) (-cm) <1 x 105 <1 x 104 1 x 1012 <1 x 104 <1 x 103 or =1 x 1011 1 x 105, <1 x 1012 1 x 104, <1 x 1011

A Synthetic rubber cot of any shore hardness of any manufactures measures surface resistivity above 1013 (/Sq.Area) which is insulative in nature , In order to make the rubber cot conductive in nature a manufacturer must reduce the surface resistivity of cot by a factor 107! . For discussion sake even if they able bring down the surface resistivity level from 1013 (/Sq.Area) to 105 (/Sq.Area), it wont be a rubber cot it will be a metal!

Salient features of Conductive cot should be 1. No static charge will be generated on cots surface during working. 2. Absence of static electricity on cots surface will directly results in nil fiber licking or Zero clearer cover waste. Because there wont be any electro static attraction of fibers. 3. Even after end breaks, drafted strands of fibers will not be attracted by cots surface and it should go into suction tube for prolonged time. 4. Lapping should be Nil provided other parameters of cots are ok like surface characteristics, Ra value, Diameter, Top arm pressure, EBR, fiber parameters & speeds & productivity. 5. Cots surface & Volumetric resistivity should be <1 x 105 ohm/Sq.Area & <1 x 104 ohm/Cubic. Area respectively.

Inarco stand on manufacturing / marketing Conductive cot

Even in theory its not practically possible to produce a Conductive cot whose electrical properties should be as good as metals , in recent years we at Inarco focused on How to improve the electrical properties of synthetic rubber cot by making it more anti static so that cot can dissipate the static charges generated on its surface during working . An antistatic agent is a compound used for treatment of materials or their surfaces in order to reduce or eliminate buildup of static electricity generally caused by the tribo-electric effect. Its role is to make the surface or the material itself slightly conductive, either by being conductive itself, or by absorbing moisture from the air, so some humectants can be used. The molecules of an antistatic agent often have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas, similar to those of a surfactant; the hydrophobic side interacts with the surface of the material, while the hydrophilic side interacts with the air moisture and binds the water molecules

Sujai.B Senior manage Process control Inarco Ltd