Contact electrification and the work of adhesion

Abstract

We present a general theory for the contribution from contact electrification to the work necessary to separate two solid bodies. The theory depends on the surface charge density correlation function, which we deduce from Kelvin Force Microscopy (KFM) maps of the surface electrostatic potential. For silicon rubber (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) we discuss in detail the relative importance of the different contributions to the observed work of adhesion.