Static resistant plastic type?

[timeline1968]

The company I work for manufactures devices that create a static electrical charge. This charge is kept in a spherical collector that rests on top of a tube. The charge is in the range of 200-400kV however with a very small amperage (Van de Graaff Generator). We currently use PVC on one unit and Butyrate on another. It would be best if the material were clear.

My question is: What readily available plastic would best be used to keep this static electrical charge from migrating down the tube? I'm finding it hard to find electrical properties of plastics, and when I do, there's volume resistivity, surface resistivity, dielectric constant, etc. What should I be looking to optimize?

Thank you!

 

[Pud]

I would have thought acrylic (PMMA) Called Plexiglass I think in the USA, Perspex in the UK as trade names.

Can be bought as off the shelf as cast acrylic tubes for large(ish) dia. tubes.

More costly than PVC I would have thought.


Cheers

Harry

 

[timeline1968]

We've tended to shy away from Acrylic as it is so brittle. Would it be the best choice though? Currently the tubes are 1.5" Schedule 40 PVC and 3.5" OD x 3.25 ID butyrate.

The materials we've been looking at are clear ABS, clear PVC, butyrate, and polycarbonate. Is there an impact resistant acrylic?

 

[Demon3]

At first I assumed you means you wanted a polymer that disspates the static charge as that's what people often mean by anti-static but I see that you want the opposite.

If you need transparency and some impact resistance then some options are:

Clear ABS (known as MABS) (

http://www.terlux.com)

Impact modified PMMA/acrylic, yes it does exist (

http://www.plexiglas.com)

Polycarbonate (

http://www.geplastics.com)

PET (

http://www.eastman.com)

Cyclic polyolefin (

http://www.ticona.com/index/markets/medical.htm)

Often additives that are polar will make the polymer leak charge so you will need to either test that or ask the supplier about it.

You can compare the polymer properties for free at

http://www.matweb.com

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