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    How Does an Electrostatic Charge Get Onto a Fiber Optic Ferrule and How Does That Create Contamination Issues?

    by:
    CLEANING: Ask FOC Ask FOC
    Published: July 1, 2017

    QUESTION: How does an electrostatic charge get onto a fiber optic ferrule and how does that create contamination issues?

     

    ANSWER:

    The electrostatic charge that gets onto a ferrule is usually caused by contract friction also known as triboelectric charging. Triboelectric charging happens when the surface electronics of two different materials move from the surface when during contact. Many people have experienced triboelectric charging when they walk across a carpet during the cold, dry winter months and touch a metal door knob. The static charge was caused by the contact friction of your shoes and the carpet.

    If one material surface loses some electronics in the contact process, it will become a positively charged surface. The second material that picked up the electronics will have a negative charge because of the extra electrons. 

    Contact friction happens all the time with fiber optic connectors. There is contact friction when a connector is inserted into an adapter. There is contact friction when the connector surface is being wiped during the cleaning process. Connector end faces near equipment cooling fans are vulnerable. The dust in the air makes contact with the friction of the fan blades. The dust becomes electrostatically charged and bonds with oppositely charged surfaces.

    The most common contamination problem with fiber connectors are dust particulates. When a ferrule end face becomes electrostatically charged, it is going to attract oppositely charged dust particles so the surface can return to an electrically neutral state.

     

     

    ADDITIONAL CONTENT & RESOURCES:

     

     

    Answered by AskFOC Technical Team WITH the Sticklers MicroCare Corporation Team July 1, 2017

     

     

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    About the Author
    FOC FAQ Fiber Optic Center has a team of technical experts and marketing strategists with decades of years in the field. This team contributes to the fiber, cable and specialty industries coverage through news, alerts, reports and general media information.
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    About Fiber Optic Center, Inc.
    Fiber Optic Center, Inc., (FOC), is an international leader in distributing fiber optic components, equipment and supplies and has been helping customers make the best cable assemblies in the world for over two decades. Several areas of specialization and expertise, in which they are the industry leader, make them the preferred choice for many of the world’s fiber professionals. In these key technology areas, FOC is "at least as technical as the manufacturer" about the products they sell. Striving to "make the business part easy," they offer outstanding and personal customer service, low or no minimum purchase order values, and from-stock delivery on industry-leading products and technology. FOC is the industry connection to the most innovative optical products, technologies and technical experts who integrate their manufacturing knowledge and vast experience into customers' worldwide operations. @FiberOpticCntr

    For further information contact:
    Fiber Optic Center, Inc., 23 Centre Street, New Bedford, MA 02740-6322
    Toll Free in US: 800-IS-FIBER or 800-473-4237 . Direct 508-992-6464. Email: sales@focenter.com or fiberopticcenter@focenter.com

    For media contact:
    Kathleen Skelton, Director of Strategic Marketing, C: 617-803-3014 . E: kskelton@focenter.com
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