How Antistatic Film works? – Uses of Anti-Static Film

Antistatic technology has been greatly appreciated by people since it has been introduced. People prefer using it in various aspects of the modern lifestyle, whether it is the manufacture of electronic products, aerospace systems, daily necessities, or other different tasks.

The main purpose of this article Is to explain the importance of this very important introduction of technology in our everyday lifestyle, the phenomenon it works upon, and how it has affected our lifestyle. Especially, in the form of the introduction of Anti-static films that have special characteristics, such as high transparency, low sheet resistance, and excellent resistance to water and heat.

Introduction

With the development of technology in various fields of life, the use of anti-static technology and improvements in including plastic packaging could also be seen widely. Earlier, when anti-static technology was only used to serve bigger purposes, it was beyond imagination that someday we would be able to use it in our daily lifestyle and how it would bring ease and comfort while carrying out everyday tasks but thanks to some of the best antistatic film providers who made processes easier for us.

Static charge accumulation is a natural phenomenon. Some objects like plastic, which is a great insulator and thus cannot dispel static electricity very well. Objects that have static charges can attract dust and in extreme situations, they can lead to massive damages as they can cause explosions. Even while film manufacturing, static charge over the sheet can cause the sheets of film to stick together. Moreover, static charge can also cause damage to electronic components that might come into contact with plastic housing or tray.

What Anti-Static Means?

An antistatic agent is mainly a compound that is used for the treatment of materials or their surfaces in order to lessen or completely eliminate the accumulation of static electricity. As the static charge may be generated by the triboelectric effect or by a non-contact process using a high voltage power source too. It can also be introduced on a surface as part of an in-mold label printing procedure.

How it works

Anti-static refers to any material or process that is required in order to disperse, reduce, or inhibit the accumulation of static charges on various items that include clothing, electronics, paper, etc. Keeping it in mind that static charges are often generated when non-conductive materials which are also known as insulators come into contact. Antistatic coatings, which are electrically conductive themselves, help make coated surfaces conductive and less vulnerable to static effects.

As the antistatic coating is an electrically conductive coating, it is specially designed to serve the purpose to disperse or inhibit static charges and their effects. Not only that but it also helps to prevent dust from accumulating on coated substrates as this can cause serious damages. This antistatic coating is also known as an electrostatic dissipative coating or ESD coating, in short. Usually, it is often external in a way that it is applied to the surface of materials.

In the form of Anti-static films that are now easily available online or as well from wholesale anti-static film manufacturers.

Anti-static materials have additives that cause the hydrophilic molecules to continually rise to the surface of the material. Hydrophobic molecules are the ones that hate water, causing the water molecules to be repelled from their surface. Whereas, Hydrophilic molecules are the opposite.

They love water and they attract it to the surface. When we talk about anti-static additives, the hydrophilic molecules attract water molecules to the surface of the part. Water, which is actually not a very good conductor but it usually contains a lot of minerals which makes it a great conductor. The small amount of moisture on the surface will prevent the building up and accumulation of the static charge from on the surface.

Generally, it takes some time for the anti-static additive to come up to the surface of the part. Normally about 2 days and it does not even last forever, it typically lasts for 1 to 2 months. Anti-static properties require some amount of relative humidity to some extent but will work even better when the relative humidity is higher.

How Useful It Is:
  • Antistatic Properties

The antistatic film has excellent surface resistance values. Resistance is the ability of an object to resist the potential buildup of static charge on any given surface.

  • Surface Hardness

Antistatic effectiveness, as the coating has effective scratch resistance properties to protect scratches that might be caused due to hard surfaces.

  • Chemical Resistance

The coating is durable, weather-resistant, and immune to the effects of chemicals, mainly solvents.

  • Aesthetic Look

Films allow the end product to retain its unique appearance even when applied.