The Use of Antistatic Fabric

The primary purpose of antistatic fabrics is to prevent the accumulation and sudden discharge of static electricity. Static electricity can damage sensitive electronic components and spark flames when it comes into contact with flammable liquids and gases. Safety workwear and other protective clothing must therefore have antistatic properties to reduce the risk of fires or explosions and to avoid any damages to sensitive electrical components.

Traditionally, antistatic fabrics were made from natural fibres like cotton, as it is inherently hygroscopic and can thus absorb moisture from the air. This helps to eliminate static charges by allowing them to dissipate over time and to discharge across the surface of the fibre. However, this only works in high humidity environments – if it gets dry and cold, cotton’s static dissipation capability is significantly reduced. This is where chemically treated synthetic fibres, such as conductive Resistat or carbon-coated polyester (CCP) fibres, come into play.

Aside from the conductive properties of these chemicals, antistatic fabrics also feature a special finish that is integrated into the textile fibre itself. This coating protects the conductive layer from wearing off and makes it resistant to washing. This is important as it ensures that the antistatic properties of the fibre remain intact over the entire lifetime of the garment.

When it comes to the actual construction of antistatic fabrics, the conductive fibres are woven into or blended with other non-conductive fibres. This allows for a conductive network to be created throughout the entire fabric structure, which is crucial to dissipate static charges and to limit their accumulation.

The conductive layers of the antistatic fabrics are also often coated with an antistatic agent, such as silica, carbon black or zinc oxide. This prevents the conductive coating from deteriorating over time, even in harsh conditions. In addition, the antistatic agent is infused into the yarn through various methods, including coatings or blending spinning, so that it remains effective over the entire lifetime of the garment.

While the conductive layers of the antistatic fabrics help to minimize the accumulation of static electricity, it is still necessary to ground the wearer or the object they are working on in order to completely dissipate any stored charges. This can be done by connecting the person or object to a conductive surface, such as an earthing strip, or by simply touching the ground.

Antistatic fabrics are used in a wide range of different areas and industries, from garments and cleanroom workwear to workplace mats and even packaging. The exact use of antistatic fabrics depends on the specific requirements of the industry and there are also a number of different "categories" of antistatic cloth that rank the fabric's overall resistance to static build-up. The simplest way to test the antistatic performance of a fabric is with the ash test. In this test, the fabric is rubbed briskly against an ashtray filled with cigarette ashes to see how much of the ash transfers to it.