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 Ω/sq but
+ + Rubber cots inner core (PVC OR Alu core)
less than 1 x 1012 Ω/sq or a volume resistivity equal to or greater than 1 x 104 Ω-cm but less
11+ 2 +
than 1 x 10 Ω-cm. For these materials, the charges flow to ground more slowly and in a
somewhat more+ controlled manner + than with conductive
Static charges accumulated on cots surface
materials.
+ +
Electrostatic + + have a conductive
shielding materials Rubber cotlayer
layerwith a surface resistivity of less
than 1 x 104 Ω/sq or a volume resistivity of less
Material x 103 Ω-cm per millimeter of
than 1drafted
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
Ω/sq or a volume resistivity of at least 1 x 1011 Ω-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
Static charges and are difficult
accumulated ontocots
ground. Static charges remain in place on these
surface
materials for a very long time.
++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++

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 Ω/sq or a volume resistivity less than 1 x 104 Ω-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 it’s clear that any synthetic rubber cots of any shore
hardness can’t be conductive no matter what type of raw material they use &
manufacturing technique they adopt ”Always a synthetic rubber cot will be non-
conductive one!

The below table will shows the electrical properties of various material
 Surface Resistivity Volume Resistivity
Material Type
(Ω/sq) (Ω-cm)
Conductive <1 x 105 <1 x 104
Dissipative 1 x 105, <1 x 1012 1 x 104, <1 x 1011
Electrostatic shielding <1 x 104 <1 x 103
Insulative 1 x 1012 or =1 x 1011

A Synthetic rubber cot of any shore hardness of any manufactures measures “surface
resistivity” above 1013 (Ω/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 (Ω/Sq.Area) to 105 (Ω/Sq.Area), it won’t 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 won’t 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 it’s 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