Electrostatic hazards of charging of bedclothes and ignition in medical facilities

Abstract

We investigated the charge generated on bedclothes (cotton and polyester) during bedding exchange with different humidities and the ignitability of an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (72.3 mass% ethanol) due to static spark with different temperatures to identify the hazards of electrostatic shocks and ignitions occurring previously in medical facilities. The results indicated that charging of the polyester bedclothes may induce a human body potential of over about 10 kV, resulting in shocks even at a relative humidity of 50%, and a human body potential of higher than about 8 kV can cause a risk for the ignition of the hand sanitizer. The grounding of human bodies via footwear and flooring, therefore, is essential to avoid such hazards (or to reduce such risks).

Embroidery Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Energy Harvesting

“…Triboelectricity and electrostatic charges are frequent occurrences in our everyday lives [35,36]. It is considered to have a dangerous impact due to its potential to cause mishaps through the generation of electrostatic sparks [37][38][39]. The triboelectric nanogenerator idea, on the other hand, reveals a vast source of energy from human biomechanics.…”