Dissipative Coating for Electrostatic Discharge 

Everyone encounters static electricity. This phenomenon - whether from shuffling across a carpet or seen in a lightning strike - is part of life. However, electrostatic discharge (ESD) can do more than raise your hair after a thunderstorm, it can also damage or destroy a multitude of things.

Static becomes a problem when it occurs without warning. Recurring discharges can degrade objects over time, abruptly fry electronics, or spark catastrophic explosions. In a world increasingly reliant on electronics like mobile phones, computers, and navigation equipment (whether flying a Cessna across Alaska or sending a NASA spacecraft into orbit) the problems of surprise ESDs are numerous.

During 2022 - with funding from the NASA EPSCoR program - we developed and tested an “electrostatically dissipative polymer,” a coating that resists static electricity and can be applied, with a separate adhesive, onto a metal object.  We worked with an aluminum alloy called AA2024-T3. This mechanically strong and light alloy has been widely used in aerospace as a structural material. 

While electrostatic discharge is naturally predisposed to cause all kinds of mayhem, there is no reason why it cannot be managed, even dissipated, as we demonstrated a unique, multipurpose electrostatically dissipative polymer. 

The importance of keeping static at bay, and minimizing the damage it can do, is - shockingly - obvious.  Going forward, Chen intends to continue his research in collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He intends to develop a technique for protecting electronic packaging from damaging ESDs.