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Title: Does Flexoelectricity Drive Triboelectricity?

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [2]
  1. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States); Northwestern University
  2. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)

The triboelectric effect, charge transfer during sliding, is well established but the thermodynamic driver is not well understood. We hypothesize here that flexoelectric potential differences induced by inhomogeneous strains at nanoscale asperities drive tribocharge separation. Modeling single asperity elastic contacts suggests that nanoscale flexoelectric potential differences of +-1–10V or larger arise during indentation and pull-off. Finally, this hypothesis agrees with several experimental observations, including bipolar charging during stick slip, inhomogeneous tribocharge patterns, charging between similar materials, and surface charge density measurements.

Research Organization:
Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22); National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
FG02-01ER45945
OSTI ID:
1594886
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 123; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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