Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Fabrication and Validation of an Organ-on-chip System with Integrated Electrodes to Directly Quantify Transendothelial Electrical Resistance
10:51

Fabrication and Validation of an Organ-on-chip System with Integrated Electrodes to Directly Quantify Transendothelial Electrical Resistance

Published on: September 26, 2017

17.0K

Is triboelectricity confusing, confused or complex?

Karl Olson1, Laurence D Marks1

  • 1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60201, United States of America.

Reports on Progress in Physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)
|September 18, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

Bode Plots Construction01:24

Bode Plots Construction

1.1K
The Bode plot is an essential tool in control system analysis, mapping the frequency response of a system through a magnitude plot and a phase plot, both against a logarithmic frequency axis. To construct a Bode plot, consider the transfer function H(ω):
1.1K
Electrostatic Boundary Conditions in Dielectrics01:27

Electrostatic Boundary Conditions in Dielectrics

1.9K
When an electric field passes from one homogeneous medium to another, crossing the boundary between the two mediums imparts a discontinuity in the electric field. This results in electrostatic boundary conditions that depend on the type of mediums the field propagates through.
Consider a case where both the mediums across a boundary are two different dielectric materials. Recall that the electric field and electric displacement are proportional and related through the material's permittivity....
1.9K
Impedance Combination01:21

Impedance Combination

720
Consider a string of christmas lights, each bulb symbolizing an impedance element. In this series configuration, the flow of electric current remains uniform across every component. This behavior aligns with Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL), which asserts that the total impedance in such a setup equals the sum of individual impedances—akin to resistors in series. It follows that the voltage from the power source is distributed proportionally among these components, adhering to the voltage...
720
Induced Electric Dipoles01:28

Induced Electric Dipoles

4.7K
A permanent electric dipole orients itself along an external electric field. This rotation can be quantified by defining the potential energy because the external torque does work in rotating it. Then, the potential energy is minimum at the parallel configuration and maximum at the antiparallel configuration. While the former is a stable equilibrium, the latter is an unstable equilibrium.
Since the absolute value of potential energy holds no physical meaning, its zero value can be chosen as per...
4.7K
Voltaic/Galvanic Cells02:47

Voltaic/Galvanic Cells

63.0K
Spontaneous Chemical Reactions
Spontaneous redox reactions occur abundantly in nature. The chemical reaction occurring in a disposable AA battery powering our remote controls is one such example of a spontaneous redox reaction. Another example is the immersion of coiled copper wire into an aqueous silver nitrate solution. The reaction shows a gradual, visually impressive color change from colorless to bright blue and the formation of a grey precipitate on the copper wire. In this experiment,...
63.0K
Calculations of Electric Potential I01:15

Calculations of Electric Potential I

2.6K
Consider a ring of radius R with a uniform charge density λ. What will the electric potential be at point M, which is located on the axis of the ring at a distance x from the center of the ring?
The ring is divided into infinitesimal small arcs such that point M is equidistant from all the arcs. Here, the cylindrical coordinate system is used to calculate the electric potential at point M. A general element of the arc between angles θ and θ + dθ is of the length Rdθ and has a charge of...
2.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Intergenerational Learning through Collective Impact 'All Under One Roof'.

Journal of museum education : roundtable reports·2025
Same author

What Puts the "Tribo" in Triboelectricity?

Nano letters·2024
Same author

Flexoelectricity, Triboelectricity, and Free Interfacial Charges.

Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2024
Same author

Wet to Dry Controls Lanthanide Scandate Synthesis.

Inorganic chemistry·2023
Same author

When Flexoelectricity Drives Triboelectricity.

Nano letters·2022
Same author

Band Bending and Ratcheting Explain Triboelectricity in a Flexoelectric Contact Diode.

Nano letters·2022
Same journal

A comprehensive review on master stability functions in complex network dynamics.

Reports on progress in physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)·2026
Same journal

Switchable band alignment in 2D-perovskite/WS<sub>2</sub>heterostructures for tunable exciton transport and valley polarization.

Reports on progress in physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)·2026
Same journal

Chiral graviton modes in fermionic Fractional Chern Insulators.

Reports on progress in physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)·2026
Same journal

Bound states in the continuum in plasmonic structures.

Reports on progress in physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)·2026
Same journal

Unlocking complex optical vortices with flat optics.

Reports on progress in physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)·2026
Same journal

Pseudo-Hermitian magnon dynamics.

Reports on progress in physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)·2026
See all related articles

Triboelectricity, the transfer of charge from contact and sliding, is a complex interplay of classic tribology and standard electrostatic phenomena. Understanding its physics, including recent advances and historical context, clarifies its underlying principles.

Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Tribology

Background:

  • Triboelectricity involves charge transfer during contact and sliding.
  • Recent advances include flexoelectric contributions, building upon historical observations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a fundamental physics overview of triboelectricity.
  • To link basic concepts to established surface science and interface physics.
  • To review proposed triboelectricity models.

Main Methods:

  • Review of fundamental physics principles.
  • Integration of historical and recent scientific findings.
  • Analysis of established theories in contact mechanics, semiconductor physics, and electrostatics.

Main Results:

Keywords:
contact electrificationflexoelectricityinterface sciencetriboelectricitytribology

More Related Videos

A Simple Approach to Perform TEER Measurements Using a Self-Made Volt-Amperemeter with Programmable Output Frequency
07:43

A Simple Approach to Perform TEER Measurements Using a Self-Made Volt-Amperemeter with Programmable Output Frequency

Published on: October 5, 2019

23.4K
Author Spotlight: Advancements in High-Performance Thermoelectric Thin Films Through Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering
04:22

Author Spotlight: Advancements in High-Performance Thermoelectric Thin Films Through Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering

Published on: May 17, 2024

3.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 17, 2026

Fabrication and Validation of an Organ-on-chip System with Integrated Electrodes to Directly Quantify Transendothelial Electrical Resistance
10:51

Fabrication and Validation of an Organ-on-chip System with Integrated Electrodes to Directly Quantify Transendothelial Electrical Resistance

Published on: September 26, 2017

17.0K
A Simple Approach to Perform TEER Measurements Using a Self-Made Volt-Amperemeter with Programmable Output Frequency
07:43

A Simple Approach to Perform TEER Measurements Using a Self-Made Volt-Amperemeter with Programmable Output Frequency

Published on: October 5, 2019

23.4K
Author Spotlight: Advancements in High-Performance Thermoelectric Thin Films Through Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering
04:22

Author Spotlight: Advancements in High-Performance Thermoelectric Thin Films Through Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering

Published on: May 17, 2024

3.7K
  • Triboelectricity is a combination of tribology and electrostatics.
  • Proposed models align with conventional electrostatics and other established sciences.
  • The generalized Ampère's law (∇⋅D=ρf) unifies understanding of electric displacement fields, charge densities, and polarization.

Conclusions:

  • Triboelectricity, though complex, is not inherently confusing when analyzed carefully.
  • A unified understanding is achievable through established physical laws.
  • Future research directions are suggested based on this comprehensive overview.