Antistatic Agents-A Key Solution to Eliminating Industrial Static Hazards
Oct 11, 2025
In today's highly industrialized and digital age, static electricity, a seemingly minor physical phenomenon, can become an invisible killer in production and everyday life. From the instantaneous breakdown of electronic components to dust absorption on plastic films, to the discomfort of textiles, and even the risk of explosion in the chemical industry, static electricity is a ubiquitous problem. Antistatic agents are key functional chemicals specifically designed to address these issues.
The Causes and Dangers of Static Electricity: Why Are Antistatic Agents Needed?
When two objects made of different materials come into contact and then separate, electrons transfer, causing one object to become positively charged and the other negatively charged. This phenomenon is known as static electricity. For polymer materials (such as plastics, rubber, and fibers), due to their excellent insulating properties, charges are difficult to dissipate and accumulate, resulting in significant static electricity.
The hazards caused by static electricity are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Dust Absorption and Contamination: Static-charged surfaces easily attract dust, hair, and particles from the air, severely impacting the product's appearance, cleanliness, and the quality of subsequent processes like printing and coating. This is particularly true for optical films, packaging materials, and precision injection molded parts.
Electric Shock and Discomfort: In a dry environment, contact with a static-charged object can cause a momentary electric shock. While generally harmless, it can cause discomfort and panic. In the textile industry, static electricity can also cause clothing to cling to the skin and become tangled, impacting the wearing experience.
Production Disruptions: During the production and processing of plastic films and fibers, static electricity can cause problems such as film sticking, uneven winding, fiber flying, and broken ends, severely reducing production efficiency and product yield.
Product Damage: In the electronics industry, electrostatic discharge (ESD) is a major threat to integrated circuits and precision components. The sudden high-voltage pulse can directly breakdown or potentially damage components, leading to product failure and significant economic losses.
Safety Risks: In industries such as petroleum, chemical, coal, and textiles, where flammable and explosive gases or dust are present, sparks generated by static discharge can become ignition sources, causing serious fires or even explosions.
Therefore, the use of antistatic agents to effectively control and eliminate static electricity has become an essential option for many industries to ensure safe production and improve product quality.
