When insulators are repeatedly touched on the same spot by a metal, it is found that the charge transferred to them increases on each contact. This contact-charge accumulation has been noted by many authors and is surprising and unexplained. The present authors report an experimental investigation of the charge accumulation on hard crystalline insulators. They show that the charge accumulation can occur as the result of a small electrical conductivity in the insulator, and propose an explanation for the charge accumulation in these materials.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Homewood et al. (1982) studied this question.