Dynamic particle-surface tribocharging: The role of shape and contact mode

Triboelectric particle charging features in many industrial processes. Dynamic particle-surface contact is the key charging mechanism in many types of particle tribocharger. Models of dynamic charging have tended to assume that the particle is spherical, but experiments have shown that particle shape can strongly influence the charging behaviour. We review some experimental work, then present a simple two-dimensional model of the dynamic contact charging of an elliptical particle, of varying roundness ratio, with a flat surface. A rich variety of contact modes (sliding, rolling, tumbling) are captured, each producing distinctive charging behaviour. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.