IEC 61340-2-1:2015

Electrostatics - Part 2-1: Measurement methods - Ability of materials and products to dissipate static electric charge

IEC 61340-2-1:2015 describes test methods for measuring the rate of dissipation of static charge of insulating and static dissipative materials and products. It includes a generic description of test methods and detailed test procedures for specific applications. The two test methods for measuring charge decay time, one using corona charging and one using a charged metal plate are different and may not give equivalent results. Nevertheless, each method has a range of applications for which it is best suited. The corona charging method is suitable for evaluating the ability of materials, e.g. textiles, packaging, etc., to dissipate charge from their own surfaces. The charged metal plate method is suitable for evaluating the ability of materials and objects such as gloves, finger cots, hand tools, etc. to dissipate charge from conductive objects placed on or in contact with them. The charged plate method may not be suitable for evaluating the ability of materials to dissipate charge from their own surfaces. In addition to its general application, this horizontal standard is also intended for use by technical committees in the preparation of standards in accordance with the principles laid down in IEC Guide 108. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
a) the first edition supported requirements in IEC TR 61340-5-1, but with the revision of IEC TR 61340-5-1 into an International Standard, this support is no longer required; references to IEC 61340-5-1 have been removed;
b) the introduction gives additional information on when charge decay time measurements are appropriate, and the applications for which each of the two test methods are best suited;
c) procedures for performance verification of measuring instruments for the corona charging method have been added. It has the status of a horizontal standard in accordance with IEC Guide 108.

Electrostatique - Partie 2-1: Méthodes de mesure - Capacité des matériaux et des produits à dissiper des charges électrostatiques

L'IEC 61340-2-1:2015 décrit les méthodes d'essai pour mesurer le taux de dissipation de charge statique des matériaux et des produits isolants et électrostatiquement dissipatifs. Elle comprend une description générique des méthodes d'essai et les procédures d'essai détaillées pour des applications spécifiques. Les deux méthodes d'essai pour mesurer le temps de décroissance de la charge, l'une utilisant la charge par effet de couronne et l'autre utilisant une plaque de métal chargée sont différentes et peuvent ne pas donner des résultats équivalents. Néanmoins, chaque méthode comporte une plage d'applications pour lesquelles elle est la plus adaptée. La méthode de la charge par effet de couronne convient à l'évaluation de l'aptitude des matériaux (p. ex.: textiles, emballages, etc.) à dissiper la charge de leurs propres surfaces. La méthode de la plaque de métal chargée convient à l'évaluation de l'aptitude des matériaux et objets (p. ex.: gants, doigtiers, outils à main, etc.) à dissiper la charge des objets conducteurs placés sur eux ou en contact avec eux. La méthode de la plaque de métal chargée peut ne pas convenir à l'évaluation de l'aptitude des matériaux à dissiper la charge de leurs propres surfaces. Outre son application générale, cette norme horizontale est également destinée à l'usage des comités d'études dans la préparation des normes, conformément aux principes établis dans le Guide 108 de l'IEC. Cette édition inclut les modifications techniques majeures suivantes par rapport à l'édition précédente:
a) la première édition prenait en charge les exigences de l'IEC TR 61340-5-1, mais avec la révision de l'IEC TR 61340-5-1 pour en faire une Norme internationale cette prise en charge n'est plus exigée; les références à l'IEC 61340-5-1 ont été supprimées;
b) l'introduction donne des informations complémentaires sur le moment où les mesures du temps de décroissance de la charge sont appropriées, ainsi que les applications pour lesquelles chacune des deux méthodes d'essai est la plus adaptée;
c) des procédures ont été ajoutées pour vérifier les performances des instruments de mesure dans le cadre de la méthode de charge par effet de couronne. Elle a le statut de norme horizontale conformément au Guide IEC 108.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 21-Jun-2022
• ICS: 01 - GENERALITIES. TERMINOLOGY. STANDARDIZATION. DOCUMENTATION
• ICS: 17.220.99 - Other standards related to electricity and magnetism
• ICS: 29.020 - Electrical engineering in general
• Technical Committee: TC 101 - Electrostatics
• Drafting Committee: MT 8 - TC 101/MT 8
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 28-Aug-2015
• Completion Date: 15-Nov-2015

Relations

• Amended By: IEC 61340-2-1:2015/AMD1:2022 - Amendment 1 - Electrostatics - Part 2-1: Measurement methods - Ability of materials and products to dissipate static electric charge
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023
• Revises: IEC 61340-2-1:2002 - Electrostatics - Part 2-1: Measurement methods - Ability of materials and products to dissipate static electric charge
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Overview

IEC 61340-2-1:2015 (consolidated with AMD1:2022) is an international horizontal standard on electrostatics that defines measurement methods for the ability of materials and products to dissipate static electric charge. It specifies two charge decay measurement techniques - the corona charging method and the charged metal plate (charged plate) method - and provides detailed procedures, environmental conditions, apparatus descriptions and reporting requirements. The standard is intended for test laboratories, manufacturers and technical committees preparing related standards.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Two charge-decay methods
  • Corona charging method: deposits charge directly onto a material’s surface and measures charge decay - best suited for textiles, packaging and materials where surface charge dissipation is the focus.
  • Charged plate method: charges a metal plate and measures decay when conductive objects contact or rest on the material - best suited for gloves, finger cots, hand tools and items that must dissipate charge from conductive objects.
• Non-equivalence warning: the two methods can produce different results; each has defined application ranges and may not be interchangeable.
• Apparatus and measurement details: requirements for corona chargers, fieldmeters, containment, charged plate design and measurement of charge decay time under specified environmental conditions.
• Performance verification: added procedures for verification of measuring instruments used with the corona charging method, including sensitivity and decay-time checks.
• Test procedure elements: selection of method, sample/surface preparation, test execution, result interpretation and standardized test reporting.
• Applicability: focuses on insulating and static-dissipative materials where resistivity alone is insufficient or unreliable for evaluating charge dissipation.

Practical applications and users

IEC 61340-2-1 is used by:

• Test laboratories performing electrostatic charge decay testing and certification.
• Manufacturers of textiles, packaging, personal protective equipment (gloves, finger cots) and ESD tools who need to validate charge-dissipative properties.
• Quality assurance and R&D teams developing materials and products for electrostatic-sensitive environments (electronics assembly, cleanrooms, explosive atmospheres).
• ESD control engineers designing ESD protection programs and selecting appropriate materials and tools.
• Standards and compliance committees using this horizontal standard as a basis for specific application standards.

Practical value: helps select the correct test method for the intended application, ensures repeatable measurement conditions, and provides instrument verification steps to increase confidence in charge-dissipation data.

Related standards

• IEC 61340 series (Electrostatics)
• IEC 61340-4-6 (Wrist straps)
• IEC 61340-4-7 (Ionization)
• Safety and test-equipment standards such as IEC 61010-1 / IEC 61010-2-030
• IEC Guide 108 (use of horizontal standards)

Keywords: IEC 61340-2-1, electrostatics, charge decay, corona charging, charged plate method, static dissipative materials, ESD testing, charge dissipation.

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 61340-2-1 ®
Edition 2.1 2022-06
CONSOLIDATED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
HORIZONTAL PUBLICATION
Electrostatics –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods – Ability of materials and products to dissipate
static electric charge
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IEC 61340-2-1 ®
Edition 2.1 2022-06
CONSOLIDATED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
HORIZONTAL PUBLICATION
Electrostatics –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods – Ability of materials and products to dissipate
static electric charge
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 17.220.99; 29.020 ISBN 978-2-8322-3945-2

IEC 61340-2-1 ®
Edition 2.1 2022-06
CONSOLIDATED VERSION
REDLINE VERSION
colour
inside
HORIZONTAL PUBLICATION
Electrostatics –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods – Ability of materials and products to dissipate
static electric charge
– 2 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references . 7
3 Terms and definitions . 8
4 Method of measurement of charge decay . 9
4.1 Principles . 9
4.2 Environmental conditions . 9
4.3 Apparatus for measurement of corona charge decay . 10
4.3.1 Physical design features . 10
4.3.2 Containment of test material . 11
4.3.3 Corona charge deposition . 11
4.3.4 Fieldmeter . 11
4.4 Apparatus for measurement of contact charge decay . 12
4.4.1 Physical design features . 12
4.4.2 Charge decay time (t ) . 13
sd
5 Practical application of test methods and procedures . 14
5.1 General . 14
5.2 Charge decay test for textile materials . 14
5.2.1 Selection of test method . 14
5.2.2 Test surface preparation . 14
5.2.3 Testing . 15
5.2.4 Results . 15
5.2.5 Test report . 15
5.3 Charge decay test via gloves, finger cots or tools . 16
5.3.1 Selection of test method . 16
5.3.2 Common steps in testing . 16
5.3.3 Test procedure for charge decay properties of finger cots as worn . 16
5.3.4 Test procedure for the charge decay properties of gloves as worn . 17
5.3.5 Test report for finger cots or gloves . 17
5.3.6 Test procedure for the charge decay properties of tools . 17
5.3.7 Test report for tools . 20
5.4 Null test for CPM. 20
Annex A (normative) Performance verification of measuring instrumentation. 21
A.1 Verification of corona charge decay measuring instrumentation . 21
A.1.1 Aspects to be verified . 21
A.1.2 Surface potential sensitivity verification . 21
A.1.3 Decay time verification . 21
A.1.4 Verification procedure . 21
A.2 Methods for verification of the capacitance of an isolated conductive plate . 22
A.2.1 General . 22
A.2.2 Capacitance meter method . 22
A.2.3 Charge measuring method . 22
A.2.4 Charge-sharing method . 23
Bibliography . 24

© IEC 2022
Figure 1 – Example of an arrangement for measurement of dissipation of charge using
corona charging . 10
Figure 2 – Example of an arrangement for measurement of dissipation of charge using

a charged plate . 12
Figure 3 – Charged plate detail . 13
Figure 4 – Charge decay time (t ) and offset voltage (U ) . 14
sd 0
Figure 5 – Examples of decay waveforms when testing tools . 20
Figure A.1 – Equivalent circuit for CPM and reference capacitor . 23

– 4 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
ELECTROSTATICS –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods –
Ability of materials and products
to dissipate static electric charge

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
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patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This consolidated version of the official IEC Standard and its amendment has been
prepared for user convenience.
IEC 61340-2-1 edition 2.1 contains the second edition (2015-08) [documents
101/446/CDV and 101/462/RVC] and its amendment 1 (2022-06) [documents 101/639/CDV
and 101/651/RVC].
In this Redline version, a vertical line in the margin shows where the technical content
is modified by amendment 1. Additions are in green text, deletions are in strikethrough
red text. A separate Final version with all changes accepted is available in this
publication.
© IEC 2022
International Standard IEC 61340-2-1 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 101:
Electrostatics.
This second edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:
a) the first edition supported requirements in IEC TR 61340-5-1, but with the revision of IEC
TR 61340-5-1 into an International Standard, this support is no longer required; references
to IEC 61340-5-1[1] have been removed;
b) the introduction gives additional information on when charge decay time measurements
are appropriate, and the applications for which each of the two test methods are best
suited;
c) procedures for performance verification of measuring instruments for the corona charging
method have been added.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
It has the status of a horizontal standard in accordance with IEC Guide 108[3].
A list of all the parts in the IEC 61340 series, published under the general title Electrostatics,
can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of the base publication and its amendment will
remain unchanged until the stability date indicated on the IEC web site under webstore.iec.ch
in the data related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
___________
Numbers in square brackets refer to the Bibliography.

– 6 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
INTRODUCTION
Measurements of the rate of dissipation of static charge belong to the essential measurement
techniques in the field of electrostatics.
For homogeneous conductive materials, this property can be evaluated indirectly by
measuring resistance or resistivity parameters. Care should be exercised when determining
the homogeneity of materials, as some materials that appear homogenous do exhibit
non−homogeneous electrical characteristics. If the homogeneity of materials is not known and
cannot be otherwise verified, it is possible that resistance measurements may will not be
reliable or may will not give enough information. It is also possible that resistance
measurements may also will not be reliable when evaluating materials in the dissipative or
insulative range and especially for high ohmic materials including that include conductive
fibres (e.g. textiles with a metallic grid). In such cases, the rate of dissipation of static charge
should be measured directly.
© IEC 2022
ELECTROSTATICS –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods –
Ability of materials and products
to dissipate static electric charge

1 Scope
This part of IEC 61340 describes test methods for measuring the rate of dissipation of static
charge of insulating and static dissipative materials and products.
It includes a generic description of test methods and detailed test procedures for specific
applications.
The two test methods for measuring charge decay time, one using corona charging and one
using a charged metal plate are different and it is possible that they may will not give
equivalent results. Nevertheless, each method has a range of applications for which it is best
suited. The corona charging method is suitable for evaluating the ability of materials, e.g. for
example textiles, packaging, etc., to dissipate charge from their own surfaces. The charged
metal plate method is suitable for evaluating the ability of materials and objects such as
gloves, finger cots, hand tools, etc. to dissipate charge from conductive objects placed on or
in contact with them. It is possible that the charged plate method may will not be suitable for
evaluating the ability of materials to dissipate charge from their own surfaces.
In addition to its general application, this horizontal standard is also intended for use by
technical committees in the preparation of standards in accordance with the principles laid
down in IEC Guide 108.
One of the responsibilities of a technical committee is, wherever applicable, to make use of
horizontal standards in the preparation of its publications. The contents of this horizontal
standard shall not apply unless specifically referred to or included in the relevant publications.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and
are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
IEC 61010-1, Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control, and
laboratory use – Part 1: General requirements
IEC 61010-2-030, Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control, and
laboratory use – Part 2-030: Particular requirements for equipment having testing or
measuring circuits
IEC 61340-4-6, Electrostatics – Part 4-6: Standard test methods for specific applications –
Wrist straps
IEC 61340-4-7, Electrostatics – Part 4-7: Standard test methods for specific applications –
Ionization
– 8 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
charge decay
migration of charge across or through a material leading to a reduction of charge density or
surface potential at the area where the charge was deposited
3.2
charge decay time
time from an initial voltage to a set fraction of the initial voltage
Note 1 to entry: 1/e and 10 % are appropriate fractions (e is the base of natural logarithms, equal to 2,718). If the
initial voltage is low, the accuracy of decay time measurements to a small fraction of the initial voltage may can be
susceptible to the noise level of the fieldmeter.
3.3
charged plate monitor
CPM
instrument using a charged metal plate of a defined capacitance and geometry which is
discharged in order to measure charge dissipation/neutralization properties of products or
materials
Note 1 to entry: This note only applies to the French language.
3.4
corona
corona discharge
generation of ions of either polarities by a high electric field
3.5
static dissipative material
material which allows charge to migrate over its surface and/or through its volume in a time
which is short compared to the time scale of the actions creating the charge, or short
compared to the time within which this charge will cause an electrostatic problem
Note 1 to entry: Materials that may be are considered conductive in other contexts are included within this
definition for the purposes of this part of IEC 61340.
3.6
initial voltage
< corona charge decay> surface potential at a time after the end of charge deposition that is a
sensible match to the time it takes material surfaces to separate in practical situations
Note 1 to entry: A time of 100 ms is appropriate for manual tribocharging actions.
3.7
initial voltage
voltage applied to the conductive plate of a charged plate monitor
3.8
insulator
material with very low mobility of charge so that any charge on the surface will remain there
for a time which is long compared to the time scale of the actions creating the charge

© IEC 2022
4 Method of measurement of charge decay
4.1 Principles
Two methods are described.
The first method determines the dissipation of charge deposited on the surface of the material
by a corona discharge. The resulting decrease in surface potential is observed using a
fieldmeter or other equivalent equipment. This method is applicable to measurement of
charge dissipation from surfaces and materials.
The second method determines the dissipation of charge from a charged plate through an
object under test by applying a potential to the metallic plate, disconnecting the voltage
source and observing the decrease in potential of the plate by means of a fieldmeter or other
equivalent equipment. This method is applicable to measurement of charge dissipation via
products such as finger cots, gloves and hand tools.
NOTE There are more methods to charge materials other than the charging methods described here (for example
tribocharging or inductive charging) but they are not relevant for this standard.
CAUTION WARNING – The test methods specified in this International Standard document
involve the use of high-voltage power supplies that may can present hazards if handled
incorrectly, particularly by unqualified or inexperienced personnel. Users of this International
Standard document are encouraged to carry out proper risk assessments and pay due regard
to local regulations before undertaking any of the test procedures. Electrical equipment for
measurements shall comply with the safety requirements specified in IEC 61010-1 and
IEC 61010-2-030.
4.2 Environmental conditions
The electrical properties of materials vary with temperature and the absorption of moisture.
Unless otherwise agreed, the atmosphere for conditioning and testing shall be (23 ± 2) °C and
(12 ± 3) % relative humidity, and the conditioning time prior to testing shall be at least 48 h.
For measurements in practical situations the ambient temperature and relative humidity shall
be recorded.
– 10 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
4.3 Apparatus for measurement of corona charge decay
4.3.1 Physical design features
Dimensions in millimetres with a tolerance of ± 1 mm.
1 2
>5 >5
∅50
1 2
∅50
IEC
Key
1 Array of corona points, the tips of which form a circle 5 Sample
(10 ± 1) mm in diameter
2 Fieldmeter sensing aperture 6 Metal plate (open backing)
3 Movable plate: 7 Aperture through which the movable plate is
withdrawn
– insulating plate to mount corona points (resistance
8 Air dam
to ground > 10 Ω)
9 Metal plate (earthed backing)
– earthed top surface to shield fieldmeter
4 Earthed casing
Figure 1 – Example of an arrangement for measurement
of dissipation of charge using corona charging
A typical arrangement and relevant dimensions of the test apparatus are shown in Figure 1.
Other equipment giving similar results may be used.
>25
© IEC 2022
The test aperture for deposition and measurement of deposited charge shall be (50 ± 1) mm
diameter or an equivalent area quasi-square aperture. An array of corona points is mounted
on a movable plate above the centre of the test aperture. The fieldmeter sensing aperture
shall be (25 ± 1) mm above the centre of the test area. When the plate with the corona points
is moved fully away, the test area shall be clear up to the plane of the fieldmeter sensing
aperture.
4.3.2 Containment of test material
With an installed material, the test aperture in the instrument base plate shall rest directly on
its surface. Sheet or flexible materials shall be supported as follows:
a) for testing materials with open backing, the material shall be rested against an earthed
metal plate with an aperture aligned with the instrument test aperture and with a width of
at least 5 mm extending beyond the aperture. A shield over the reverse side of the test
area shall be earthed and be at least 25 mm away over the whole test area;
b) for testing materials against an earthed backing, the material shall be mounted between
the instrument base plate and a flat earthed metal plate.
NOTE If charge moves more readily through the bulk test material than across its surface, then placing an
earthed metal plate immediately behind the test area can increase the rate of charge dissipation. On the other
hand, if charge moves more readily across the surface of the test material, then the rate of charge dissipation can
decrease if an earthed metal plate is used because its presence will increase the capacitive loading. To gain a full
understanding of charge dissipation from the test material, it is desirable to make measurements both with and
without an earthed metal plate backing the test area.
In practical terms, earthed backing represents a material in intimate contact with an earthed surface, for example,
a garment fitted close to the body of the wearer, or a work surface on top of a metal bench. Open-backed
measurements represent the other practical extreme where materials are separated from earthed surfaces, for
example, the bottom edge of a coat or smock which hangs away from the body of the wearer.
4.3.3 Corona charge deposition
Corona charging is achieved with at least five corona points, the tips of which form a
(10 ± 1) mm diameter circle, (10 ± 1) mm above the centre of the test area. The corona points
shall be made from non-corrosive metal wire of a diameter in the range 0,1 mm to 0,5 mm.
The exact size and distribution of charge on the material is not well defined, particularly with
the more conductive surfaces, but the arrangement provides a consistent pattern of deposited
charge and decay time measurements.
NOTE 1 Typical voltages for corona charging equipment are between 5 kV and 10 kV.
The corona duration shall be no more than 50 ms, and 10 ms or 20 ms is usually appropriate
in order to achieve an adequate initial peak voltage for measurements. Excessively long
deposition times (more than some seconds) may can damage the material.
The materials shall be tested with positive and negative polarity.
The equipment for charge deposition shall move fully away from the region of fieldmeter
observation in less than 20 ms.
NOTE 2 For corona voltages of 7 kV to 8 kV, the initial surface voltage with relatively high insulating materials will
be up to about 3 kV. For materials with fast charge decay rates the initial voltage can be much lower – for example
only 50 V to 100 V.
4.3.4 Fieldmeter
The fieldmeter shall be able to measure the surface voltage with an accuracy of ±5 V to below
the lower limit of surface voltage that is required to be measured. The response time (10 % to
90 %) shall be at least one-tenth of the faster decay time required to be measured. The
stability of the zero shall allow measurement of surface voltage with this accuracy over the
longest decay times to be measured. Therefore, a rotating vane ‘field mill’ type of fieldmeter is
preferred.
– 12 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
During corona charge deposition and decay time measurement, the fieldmeter sensing
aperture shall be well shielded from any connections or surfaces associated with corona high-
voltage supplies. There shall be no insulating materials around the region between the
fieldmeter and the test aperture during the operation of the fieldmeter.
Any residual ionization shall contribute less than 20 V to the measurement of the surface
voltage. (Excess ionization may shall be removed, for example, by using an air dam). This
may can be tested by measurements on a fully conducting test surface.
4.4 Apparatus for measurement of contact charge decay
4.4.1 Physical design features
The basic arrangement and relevant dimensions of the test apparatus are shown in Figure 2.
Other equipment giving similar results may be used.
IEC
Key
1 Ground
2 Grounded surface, greater than 150 mm square
Conductive plate (150 ± 1) mm × (150 ± 1) mm (e.g. nominal dimensions 150 mm × 150 mm)
4 Probe
Supporting insulator (resistance to ground > 10 Ω)
6 Switch
7 High-voltage power supply – current limited
8 Fieldmeter or equivalent
9 Discharge timer
10 High-voltage plate contact
Figure 2 – Example of an arrangement for measurement
of dissipation of charge using a charged plate
The instrument to measure the charge dissipation of objects under test is the charged plate
monitor (see Figure 2). The capacitance of the conductive plate shall be (150 ± 1) mm × (150
± 1) mm with a capacitance of 20 pF ± 2pF (20 ± 2) pF when mounted in the test fixture. The
dimensions of the plate do not significantly affect results and any practical size may be used
(e.g. nominal dimensions 150 mm × 150 mm). The wire between the switch and the plate shall
be as short as possible.
There shall be no objects grounded or otherwise closer than dimension A of Figure 3 to the
conductive plate, except the supporting insulators as shown in Figures 2 and 3, or the high-
___________
If the different components are integrated into one instrument, this is referred to as a charged plate monitor
(CPM).
© IEC 2022
voltage plate contact as shown in Figure 2. The resistance to ground of the supporting
insulators shall be >10 Ω. Dimension A is selected to achieve the desired capacitance. The
isolated conductive plate, when charged to the desired test voltage, shall not discharge more
than 10 % of the test voltage within 5 min under the environmental conditions specified in 4.2.
The response time of the monitoring device shall be sufficient to accurately measure charging
plate voltages.
The capacitance of the plate and the wires shall be determined according to Clause A.2.
Further design requirements, including requirements for alternative charged plate monitor
designs, are specified in IEC 61340-4-7.
IEC
Key
1 Ground
2 Grounded surface, greater than 150 mm square
3 Conductive plate (150 ± 1) mm × (150 ± 1) mm
4 Supporting insulator
Figure 3 – Charged plate detail
4.4.2 Charge decay time (t )
sd
The charge decay time is the period to reduce the initial voltage U on the charged plate to a
defined lower voltage level U , for example the time from 1 000 V to 100 V for positive or
negative polarity (see Figure 4).
There may can be occasions when the potential decay approaches a non-zero value. This
final offset voltage is designated U .
A
– 14 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
U
t = t – t
sd 2 1
U
U
Time
t t
1 2
IEC
NOTE The decay curve may or may not can go down to 0 V or not.
Figure 4 – Charge decay time (t ) and offset voltage (U )
sd 0
5 Practical application of test methods and procedures
5.1 General
Clause 5 describes the application of the test methods for evaluating specific materials and
products. The test methods have wider applicability and can be used to evaluate many
different materials and products in addition to those included in Clause 5.
5.2 Charge decay test for textile materials
5.2.1 Selection of test method
For charge decay tests on textile materials, the corona charging method shall be used.
5.2.2 Test surface preparation
The sample presented for test shall be big enough to completely cover the test fixture and
shall be clean and free from loose dust.
Remove any loose dust by gentle brushing or blowing with clean dry air. If the surface is
obviously contaminated, either test an alternative area of the material or make measurements
with the contamination present and report the condition of testing ‘as received’.
For laboratory measurements, the materials shall be cleaned according to the manufacturer’s
instructions. The materials used for cleaning and the method used shall be reported.
For measurements in practical or installed applications, the materials shall be tested without
any “special” cleaning. If cleaning is part of the process, for example, washing of garments,
measurements should be taken before and after cleaning where practical. The materials and
the method used to clean shall be reported.
Contamination of samples is best avoided by only handling with tweezers or gloved hands.
Voltage
© IEC 2022
5.2.3 Testing
Rest the test aperture on the surface to be tested, set up appropriate charging conditions and
make the required number of charge decay measurements.
The test equipment shall remain steady and undisturbed on the surface for the duration of
each measurement.
Movement of the test equipment relative to the surface can cause tribocharging and result in a
sudden change of observed charge distribution, which requires the test to be re-started.
Make measurements with both positive and negative polarities.
Make measurements on sheet and film materials, both with open-shielded backing and with
an earthed surface backing.
At least three measurements shall be made for each set of test conditions with each sample.
The time between measurements shall be such that the surface voltage falls to below 5 % of
the expected initial voltage before starting the next measurement.
All measurements shall be made on different locations.
5.2.4 Results
The charge decay time values are the measured times for the surface voltage to fall from the
initial voltage to a defined fraction of the initial voltage.
Charge decay time values quoted shall be the average of the values measured under the test
conditions that provide the longest decay times.
If it is not possible to achieve the required initial surface voltage with a corona voltage of at
least 7 kV, then this fact shall be recorded together with the actual surface voltage achieved.
5.2.5 Test report
The test report shall include at least the following information:
– reference to this International Standard, i.e. IEC 61340-2-1;
– test results (all values plus charge decay time according to 5.2.4);
– number of samples tested;
– date and time of measurements;
– description and/or identification of material tested;
– charging conditions used (for example, polarity, corona voltage, charging duration,
electrode dimensions, time between tests);
– whether the sample is supported with an open backing or an earthed backing surface;
– temperature and relative humidity at the time measurements are made, and where pre-
conditioning is used, the temperature, relative humidity, duration of pre-conditioning, and
the time between pre-conditioning and testing, if the conditions are different;
– identification of instrumentation used and date of most recent and next calibration.

– 16 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
5.3 Charge decay test via gloves, finger cots or tools
5.3.1 Selection of test method
For charge decay tests on gloves, finger cots or tools, a charged plate monitor according to
4.4 and a wrist strap according to IEC 61340-4-6 shall be used. For the following procedure,
all technical values shall be observed within 10 %, or as otherwise agreed.
5.3.2 Common steps in testing
A null test shall be performed at the start of each test sequence to determine if tribocharging
makes a significant contribution to the voltage values. The voltage of the null test shall be
reported with the test data.
Decay time recording from a bare hand shall also be performed at the start of each test
sequence to check the ground system through the wrist strap, and the response time of the
measuring system.
In order to measure decay times from 1 000 V under near constant capacitance conditions, it
is necessary to charge the conductive plate to greater than 1 000 V.
If the reading after lifting the finger, hand or tool is higher than in the null test, it shall be
concluded that there has been no significant discharge and the changing voltage was
dominated by the changing capacitance between the finger, hand or tool and the conductive
plate.
NOTE 1 Total capacitance during testing will be affected by the capacitance added by contact to the test item, so
the pressure applied when testing a finger cot, glove or tool can be relevant. Pressure applied during testing can
be monitored by placing the CPM apparatus on a suitable balance or force indicating equipment.
NOTE 2 For highly resistive materials, it can be beneficial to make measurements with both positive and negative
polarity. Other documents (standards, specifications, etc.) can specify that measurements are made with both
positive and negative polarity.
5.3.3 Test procedure for charge decay properties of finger cots as worn
Hydration of finger cots after wearing for a short time can significantly affect the results of this
test procedure. Performance requirements referencing this test procedure shall specify the
wearing time before measurements are made.
The following steps shall be taken:
1) Put on a wrist strap and connect it to ground.
2) Perform the null test as described in 5.4.
3) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
4) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
5) Touch the charged plate with a finger without a finger cot (wearing a wrist strap), lift the
finger up after 2 s and do not put it down again; record the decay time from 1 000 V to
100 V as a reference test.
6) Put on a finger cot.
7) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
8) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
9) Touch the charged plate with a finger wearing a finger cot (wearing a wrist strap), lift the
finger up after 2 s and do not put it down again.
10) Record the decay time to from 1 000 V to 100 V.
11) Repeat steps 7) to 10) twice to have three test results.

© IEC 2022
5.3.4 Test procedure for the charge decay properties of gloves as worn
Hydration of gloves after wearing for a short time can significantly affect the results of this test
procedure. Performance requirements referencing this test procedure shall specify the
wearing time before measurements are made.
The following steps shall be taken:
1) Put on a wrist strap and connect it to ground.
2) Perform the null test as described in 5.4.
3) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
4) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
5) Touch the charged plate with the hand flat, without gloves (wearing a wrist strap), lift the
hand up after 2 s and do not put it down again; record the decay time from 1 000 V to
100 V as a reference test.
6) Put on a glove.
7) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
8) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
9) Touch the charged plate with the hand flat, wearing a glove (wearing a wrist strap), lift
the hand up after 2 s and do not put it down again.
10) Record the decay time from 1 000 V to 100 V.
11) Repeat steps 7) to 10) twice to have three test results.
5.3.5 Test report for finger cots or gloves
The test report shall include at least the following information:
– reference to this standard, i.e. IEC 61340-2-1;
– test results (all three separately);
– null test voltage;
– date and time of measurements;
– description and/or identification of material tested;
– conditions used (for example, polarity, voltage, time between tests);
– temperature and relative humidity at the time measurements are made, and where pre-
conditioning is used, the temperature, relative humidity, duration of pre-conditioning and
the time between pre-conditioning and testing, if the conditions are different;
– time between putting on gloves or finger cots and the start of testing;
– identification of instrumentation used.
5.3.6 Test procedure for the charge decay properties of tools
The following steps shall be taken:
1) Put on a wrist strap and connect it to ground.
2) Perform the null test as described in 5.4.
3) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
4) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
5) Touch the charged plate with the hand without a tool (wearing a wrist strap), lift the hand
up after 2 s and do not put it down again; record the decay time from 1 000 V to 100 V as
a reference test.
6) Take the tool under test in the hand.
7) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.

– 18 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
8) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
9) Touch the charged plate with the tool in the hand (wearing a wrist strap), lift the tool up
after 2 s and do not put it down again.
10) Record the decay time from 1 100 V to 100 V.
11) Repeat steps 7) to 10) twice to have three test results
An example of a waveform for a tool showing a fast decay to low voltage is shown in
Figure 5 a). A tool with a high resistance or insulating handle can sometimes give an initial
apparent fast decay to an intermediate voltage, either followed by a slow decay for the
remaining voltage (Figure 5 b)) or no further voltage decay (Figure 5 c)). The initial decay in
these cases is caused by discharging of the charged plate into the capacitance between the
tool and hand, rather than dissipation through resistance. In some cases, the voltage can fall
rapidly below 100 V when the tool touches the charged plate, but then rise above 100 V again
when the tool is removed, as shown in Figure 5 d). Performance requirements referencing this
test procedure should take account of the possibility of these effects occurring.

a) Example of a decay waveform for a tool showing a fast decay to low voltage

© IEC 2022
b) Example of a decay waveform showing initial fast decay caused
by a capacitance effect, followed by slow decay via resistance

c) Example of a decay waveform showing no further decay after
initial fast decay caused by a capacitance effect

– 20 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
d) Example of a waveform showing rapid changes in charged plate
...

IEC 61340-2-1 ®
Edition 2.0 2015-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
HORIZONTAL STANDARD
NORME HORIZONTALE
Electrostatics –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods – Ability of materials and products to dissipate
static electric charge
Électrostatique –
Partie 2-1: Méthodes de mesure – Capacité des matériaux et des produits à
dissiper des charges électrostatiques

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IEC 61340-2-1 ®
Edition 2.0 2015-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
HORIZONTAL STANDARD
NORME HORIZONTALE
Electrostatics –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods – Ability of materials and products to dissipate

static electric charge
Électrostatique –
Partie 2-1: Méthodes de mesure – Capacité des matériaux et des produits à

dissiper des charges électrostatiques

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 17.220.99; 29.020 ISBN 978-2-8322-2877-7

– 2 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015 © IEC 2015
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references . 7
3 Terms and definitions . 7
4 Method of measurement of charge decay . 8
4.1 Principles . 8
4.2 Environmental conditions . 9
4.3 Apparatus for measurement of corona charge decay . 10
4.3.1 Physical design features . 10
4.3.2 Containment of test material . 11
4.3.3 Corona charge deposition . 11
4.3.4 Fieldmeter . 11
4.4 Apparatus for measurement of contact charge decay . 12
4.4.1 Physical design features . 12
4.4.2 Charge decay time (t ) . 13
sd
5 Practical application of test methods and procedures . 14
5.1 General . 14
5.2 Charge decay test for textile materials . 14
5.2.1 Selection of test method . 14
5.2.2 Test surface preparation . 14
5.2.3 Testing . 14
5.2.4 Results . 15
5.2.5 Test report . 15
5.3 Charge decay test via gloves, finger cots or tools . 15
5.3.1 Selection of test method . 15
5.3.2 Common steps in testing . 15
5.3.3 Test procedure for charge decay properties of finger cots as worn . 16
5.3.4 Test procedure for the charge decay properties of gloves as worn . 16
5.3.5 Test report for finger cots or gloves . 16
5.3.6 Test procedure for the charge decay properties of tools . 17
5.3.7 Test report for tools . 17
5.4 Null test for CPM. 17
Annex A (normative) Performance verification of measuring instrumentation. 19
A.1 Verification of corona charge decay measuring instrumentation . 19
A.1.1 Aspects to be verified . 19
A.1.2 Surface potential sensitivity verification . 19
A.1.3 Decay time verification . 19
A.1.4 Verification procedure . 19
A.2 Methods for verification of the capacitance of an isolated conductive plate . 20
A.2.1 General . 20
A.2.2 Capacitance meter method . 20
A.2.3 Charge measuring method . 20
A.2.4 Charge-sharing method . 21
Bibliography . 22

Figure 1 – Example of an arrangement for measurement of dissipation of charge using
corona charging . 10
Figure 2 – Example of an arrangement for measurement of dissipation of charge using
a charged plate . 12
Figure 3 – Charged plate detail . 13
Figure 4 – Charge decay time (tsd) and offset voltage (U0) . 13
Figure A.1 – Equivalent circuit for CPM and reference capacitor . 21

– 4 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015 © IEC 2015
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
ELECTROSTATICS –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods –
Ability of materials and products
to dissipate static electric charge

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
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with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
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4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
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between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
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services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
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Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 61340-2-1 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 101:
Electrostatics.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2002. This edition
constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:
a) the first edition supported requirements in IEC TR 61340-5-1, but with the revision of IEC
TR 61340-5-1 into an International Standard, this support is no longer required; references
to IEC 61340-5-1[1] have been removed;
b) the introduction gives additional information on when charge decay time measurements
are appropriate, and the applications for which each of the two test methods are best
suited;
c) procedures for performance verification of measuring instruments for the corona charging
method have been added.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
CDV Report on voting
101/446/CDV 101/462/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
It has the status of a horizontal standard in accordance with IEC Guide 108[3].
A list of all the parts in the IEC 61340 series, published under the general title Electrostatics,
can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
___________
Numbers in square brackets refer to the Bibliography.

– 6 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015 © IEC 2015
INTRODUCTION
Measurements of the rate of dissipation of static charge belong to the essential measurement
techniques in the field of electrostatics.
For homogeneous conductive materials, this property can be evaluated indirectly by
measuring resistance or resistivity parameters. Care should be exercised when determining
the homogeneity of materials, as some materials that appear homogenous do exhibit non-
homogeneous electrical characteristics. If the homogeneity of materials is not known and
cannot be otherwise verified, resistance measurements may not be reliable or may not give
enough information. Resistance measurements may also not be reliable when evaluating
materials in the dissipative or insulative range and especially for high ohmic materials
including conductive fibres (e.g. textiles with a metallic grid). In such cases, the rate of
dissipation of static charge should be measured directly.

ELECTROSTATICS –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods –
Ability of materials and products
to dissipate static electric charge

1 Scope
This part of IEC 61340 describes test methods for measuring the rate of dissipation of static
charge of insulating and static dissipative materials and products.
It includes a generic description of test methods and detailed test procedures for specific
applications.
The two test methods for measuring charge decay time, one using corona charging and one
using a charged metal plate are different and may not give equivalent results. Nevertheless,
each method has a range of applications for which it is best suited. The corona charging
method is suitable for evaluating the ability of materials, e.g. textiles, packaging, etc., to
dissipate charge from their own surfaces. The charged metal plate method is suitable for
evaluating the ability of materials and objects such as gloves, finger cots, hand tools, etc. to
dissipate charge from conductive objects placed on or in contact with them. The charged plate
method may not be suitable for evaluating the ability of materials to dissipate charge from
their own surfaces.
In addition to its general application, this horizontal standard is also intended for use by
technical committees in the preparation of standards in accordance with the principles laid
down in IEC Guide 108.
One of the responsibilities of a technical committee is, wherever applicable, to make use of
horizontal standards in the preparation of its publications. The contents of this horizontal
standard shall not apply unless specifically referred to or included in the relevant publications.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and
are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
IEC 61340-4-6, Electrostatics – Part 4-6: Standard test methods for specific applications –
Wrist straps
IEC 61340-4-7, Electrostatics – Part 4-7: Standard test methods for specific applications –
Ionization
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

– 8 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015 © IEC 2015
3.1
charge decay
migration of charge across or through a material leading to a reduction of charge density or
surface potential at the area where the charge was deposited
3.2
charge decay time
time from an initial voltage to a set fraction of the initial voltage
Note 1 to entry: 1/e and 10 % are appropriate fractions (e is the base of natural logarithms, equal to 2,718). If the
initial voltage is low, the accuracy of decay time measurements to a small fraction of the initial voltage may be
susceptible to the noise level of the fieldmeter.
3.3
charged plate monitor
CPM
instrument using a charged metal plate of a defined capacitance and geometry which is
discharged in order to measure charge dissipation/neutralization properties of products or
materials
Note 1 to entry: This note only applies to the French language.
3.4
corona
corona discharge
generation of ions of either polarities by a high electric field
3.5
static dissipative material
material which allows charge to migrate over its surface and/or through its volume in a time
which is short compared to the time scale of the actions creating the charge, or short
compared to the time within which this charge will cause an electrostatic problem
Note 1 to entry: Materials that may be considered conductive in other contexts are included within this definition
for the purposes of this part of IEC 61340.
3.6
initial voltage
< corona charge decay> surface potential at a time after the end of charge deposition that is a
sensible match to the time it takes material surfaces to separate in practical situations
Note 1 to entry: A time of 100 ms is appropriate for manual tribocharging actions.
3.7
initial voltage
voltage applied to the conductive plate of a charged plate monitor
3.8
insulator
material with very low mobility of charge so that any charge on the surface will remain there
for a time which is long compared to the time scale of the actions creating the charge
4 Method of measurement of charge decay
4.1 Principles
Two methods are described.
The first method determines the dissipation of charge deposited on the surface of the material
by a corona discharge. The resulting decrease in surface potential is observed using a

fieldmeter or other equivalent equipment. This method is applicable to measurement of
charge dissipation from surfaces and materials.
The second method determines the dissipation of charge from a charged plate through an
object under test by applying a potential to the metallic plate, disconnecting the voltage
source and observing the decrease in potential of the plate by means of a fieldmeter or other
equivalent equipment. This method is applicable to measurement of charge dissipation via
products such as finger cots, gloves and hand tools.
NOTE There are more methods to charge materials other than the charging methods described here (for example
tribocharging or inductive charging) but they are not relevant for this standard.
CAUTION The test methods specified in this International Standard involve the use of high-voltage power
supplies that may present hazards if handled incorrectly, particularly by unqualified or inexperienced personnel.
Users of this International Standard are encouraged to carry out proper risk assessments and pay due regard to
local regulations before undertaking any of the test procedures.
4.2 Environmental conditions
The electrical properties of materials vary with temperature and the absorption of moisture.
Unless otherwise agreed, the atmosphere for conditioning and testing shall be (23 ± 2) °C and
(12 ± 3) % relative humidity, and the conditioning time prior to testing shall be at least 48 h.
For measurements in practical situations the ambient temperature and relative humidity shall
be recorded.
– 10 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015 © IEC 2015
4.3 Apparatus for measurement of corona charge decay
4.3.1 Physical design features
Dimensions in millimetres with a tolerance of ± 1 mm.
1 2
>5 >5
∅50
1 2
∅50
IEC
Key
Array of corona points, the tips of which form a circle
1 5 Sample
(10 ± 1) mm in diameter
2 Fieldmeter sensing aperture 6 Metal plate (open backing)
3 Movable plate: 7 Aperture through which the movable plate is
withdrawn
– insulating plate to mount corona points (resistance
8 Air dam
to ground > 10 Ω)
9 Metal plate (earthed backing)
– earthed top surface to shield fieldmeter
4 Earthed casing
Figure 1 – Example of an arrangement for measurement
of dissipation of charge using corona charging
A typical arrangement and relevant dimensions of the test apparatus are shown in Figure 1.
Other equipment giving similar results may be used.
>25
The test aperture for deposition and measurement of deposited charge shall be (50 ± 1) mm
diameter or an equivalent area quasi-square aperture. An array of corona points is mounted
on a movable plate above the centre of the test aperture. The fieldmeter sensing aperture
shall be (25 ± 1) mm above the centre of the test area. When the plate with the corona points
is moved fully away, the test area shall be clear up to the plane of the fieldmeter sensing
aperture.
4.3.2 Containment of test material
With an installed material, the test aperture in the instrument base plate shall rest directly on
its surface. Sheet or flexible materials shall be supported as follows:
a) for testing materials with open backing, the material shall be rested against an earthed
metal plate with an aperture aligned with the instrument test aperture and with a width of
at least 5 mm extending beyond the aperture. A shield over the reverse side of the test
area shall be earthed and be at least 25 mm away over the whole test area;
b) for testing materials against an earthed backing, the material shall be mounted between
the instrument base plate and a flat earthed metal plate.
NOTE If charge moves more readily through the bulk test material than across its surface, then placing an
earthed metal plate immediately behind the test area can increase the rate of charge dissipation. On the other
hand, if charge moves more readily across the surface of the test material, then the rate of charge dissipation can
decrease if an earthed metal plate is used because its presence will increase the capacitive loading. To gain a full
understanding of charge dissipation from the test material, it is desirable to make measurements both with and
without an earthed metal plate backing the test area.
In practical terms, earthed backing represents a material in intimate contact with an earthed surface, for example,
a garment fitted close to the body of the wearer, or a work surface on top of a metal bench. Open-backed
measurements represent the other practical extreme where materials are separated from earthed surfaces, for
example, the bottom edge of a coat or smock which hangs away from the body of the wearer.
4.3.3 Corona charge deposition
Corona charging is achieved with at least five corona points, the tips of which form a
(10 ± 1) mm diameter circle, (10 ± 1) mm above the centre of the test area. The corona points
shall be made from non-corrosive metal wire of a diameter in the range 0,1 mm to 0,5 mm.
The exact size and distribution of charge on the material is not well defined, particularly with
the more conductive surfaces, but the arrangement provides a consistent pattern of deposited
charge and decay time measurements.
NOTE 1 Typical voltages for corona charging equipment are between 5 kV and 10 kV.
The corona duration shall be no more than 50 ms, and 10 ms or 20 ms is usually appropriate
in order to achieve an adequate initial peak voltage for measurements. Excessively long
deposition times (more than some seconds) may damage the material.
The materials shall be tested with positive and negative polarity.
The equipment for charge deposition shall move fully away from the region of fieldmeter
observation in less than 20 ms.
NOTE 2 For corona voltages of 7 kV to 8 kV, the initial surface voltage with relatively high insulating materials will
be up to about 3 kV. For materials with fast charge decay rates the initial voltage can be much lower – for example
only 50 V to 100 V.
4.3.4 Fieldmeter
The fieldmeter shall be able to measure the surface voltage with an accuracy of ±5 V to below
the lower limit of surface voltage that is required to be measured. The response time (10 % to
90 %) shall be at least one-tenth of the faster decay time required to be measured. The
stability of the zero shall allow measurement of surface voltage with this accuracy over the
longest decay times to be measured. Therefore, a rotating vane ‘field mill’ type of fieldmeter is
preferred.
– 12 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015 © IEC 2015
During corona charge deposition and decay time measurement, the fieldmeter sensing
aperture shall be well shielded from any connections or surfaces associated with corona high-
voltage supplies. There shall be no insulating materials around the region between the
fieldmeter and the test aperture during the operation of the fieldmeter.
Any residual ionization shall contribute less than 20 V to the measurement of the surface
voltage (excess ionization may be removed, for example, by using an air dam). This may be
tested by measurements on a fully conducting test surface.
4.4 Apparatus for measurement of contact charge decay
4.4.1 Physical design features
The basic arrangement and relevant dimensions of the test apparatus are shown in Figure 2.
Other equipment giving similar results may be used.
IEC
Key
1 Ground
2 Grounded surface, greater than 150 mm square
Conductive plate (150 ± 1) mm × (150 ± 1) mm
4 Probe
Supporting insulator (resistance to ground > 10 Ω)
6 Switch
7 High-voltage power supply – current limited
8 Fieldmeter or equivalent
9 Discharge timer
10 High-voltage plate contact
Figure 2 – Example of an arrangement for measurement
of dissipation of charge using a charged plate
The instrument to measure the charge dissipation of objects under test is the charged plate
monitor (see Figure 2). The conductive plate shall be (150 ± 1) mm × (150 ± 1) mm with a
capacitance of 20 pF ± 2 pF when mounted in the test fixture. The wire between the switch
and the plate shall be as short as possible.
There shall be no objects grounded or otherwise closer than dimension A of Figure 3 to the
conductive plate, except the supporting insulators as shown in Figures 2 and 3, or the high-
voltage plate contact as shown in Figure 2. The resistance to ground of the supporting
insulators shall be >10 Ω. Dimension A is selected to achieve the desired capacitance. The
___________
If the different components are integrated into one instrument, this is referred to as a charged plate monitor
(CPM).
isolated conductive plate, when charged to the desired test voltage, shall not discharge more
than 10 % of the test voltage within 5 min under the environmental conditions specified in 4.2.
The response time of the monitoring device shall be sufficient to accurately measure charging
plate voltages.
The capacitance of the plate and the wires shall be determined according to Clause A.2.
Further design requirements, including requirements for alternative charged plate monitor
designs, are specified in IEC 61340-4-7.
IEC
Key
1 Ground
2 Grounded surface, greater than 150 mm square
3 Conductive plate (150 ± 1) mm × (150 ± 1) mm
4 Supporting insulator
Figure 3 – Charged plate detail
4.4.2 Charge decay time (t )
sd
The charge decay time is the period to reduce the initial voltage U on the charged plate to a
defined lower voltage level U , for example the time from 1 000 V to 100 V for positive or
negative polarity (see Figure 4).
There may be occasions when the potential decay approaches a non-zero value. This final
offset voltage is designated U
.
U
t = t – t
sd 2 1
U
U
Time
t t
1 2
IEC
NOTE The decay curve may or may not go down to 0 V.
Figure 4 – Charge decay time (t ) and offset voltage (U )
sd 0
Voltage
A
– 14 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015 © IEC 2015
5 Practical application of test methods and procedures
5.1 General
Clause 5 describes the application of the test methods for evaluating specific materials and
products. The test methods have wider applicability and can be used to evaluate many
different materials and products in addition to those included in Clause 5.
5.2 Charge decay test for textile materials
5.2.1 Selection of test method
For charge decay tests on textile materials, the corona charging method shall be used.
5.2.2 Test surface preparation
The sample presented for test shall be big enough to completely cover the test fixture and
shall be clean and free from loose dust.
Remove any loose dust by gentle brushing or blowing with clean dry air. If the surface is
obviously contaminated, either test an alternative area of the material or make measurements
with the contamination present and report the condition of testing ‘as received’.
For laboratory measurements, the materials shall be cleaned according to the manufacturer’s
instructions. The materials used for cleaning and the method used shall be reported.
For measurements in practical or installed applications, the materials shall be tested without
any “special” cleaning. If cleaning is part of the process, for example, washing of garments,
measurements should be taken before and after cleaning where practical. The materials and
the method used to clean shall be reported.
Contamination of samples is best avoided by only handling with tweezers or gloved hands.
5.2.3 Testing
Rest the test aperture on the surface to be tested, set up appropriate charging conditions and
make the required number of charge decay measurements.
The test equipment shall remain steady and undisturbed on the surface for the duration of
each measurement.
Movement of the test equipment relative to the surface can cause tribocharging and result in a
sudden change of observed charge distribution, which requires the test to be re-started.
Make measurements with both positive and negative polarities.
Make measurements on sheet and film materials, both with open-shielded backing and with
an earthed surface backing.
At least three measurements shall be made for each set of test conditions with each sample.
The time between measurements shall be such that the surface voltage falls to below 5 % of
the expected initial voltage before starting the next measurement.
All measurements shall be made on different locations.

5.2.4 Results
The charge decay time values are the measured times for the surface voltage to fall from the
initial voltage to a defined fraction of the initial voltage.
Charge decay time values quoted shall be the average of the values measured under the test
conditions that provide the longest decay times.
If it is not possible to achieve the required initial surface voltage with a corona voltage of at
least 7 kV, then this fact shall be recorded together with the actual surface voltage achieved.
5.2.5 Test report
The test report shall include at least the following information:
– reference to this International Standard, i.e. IEC 61340-2-1;
– test results (all values plus charge decay time according to 5.2.4);
– number of samples tested;
– date and time of measurements;
– description and/or identification of material tested;
– charging conditions used (for example, polarity, corona voltage, charging duration,
electrode dimensions, time between tests);
– whether the sample is supported with an open backing or an earthed backing surface;
– temperature and relative humidity at the time measurements are made, and where pre-
conditioning is used, the temperature, relative humidity, duration of pre-conditioning, and
the time between pre-conditioning and testing, if the conditions are different;
– identification of instrumentation used and date of most recent and next calibration.
5.3 Charge decay test via gloves, finger cots or tools
5.3.1 Selection of test method
For charge decay tests on gloves, finger cots or tools, a charged plate monitor according to
4.4 and a wrist strap according to IEC 61340-4-6 shall be used. For the following procedure,
all technical values shall be observed within 10 %, or as otherwise agreed.
5.3.2 Common steps in testing
A null test shall be performed at the start of each test sequence to determine if tribocharging
makes a significant contribution to the voltage values. The voltage of the null test shall be
reported with the test data.
Decay time recording from a bare hand shall also be performed at the start of each test
sequence to check the ground system through the wrist strap, and the response time of the
measuring system.
In order to measure decay times from 1 000 V under near constant capacitance conditions, it
is necessary to charge the conductive plate to greater than 1 000 V.
If the reading after lifting the finger, hand or tool is higher than in the null test, it shall be
concluded that there has been no significant discharge and the changing voltage was
dominated by the changing capacitance between the finger, hand or tool and the conductive
plate.
NOTE 1 Total capacitance during testing will be affected by the capacitance added by contact to the test item, so
the pressure applied when testing a finger cot, glove or tool can be relevant. Pressure applied during testing can
be monitored by placing the CPM apparatus on a suitable balance or force indicating equipment.

– 16 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015 © IEC 2015
NOTE 2 For highly resistive materials, it can be beneficial to make measurements with both positive and negative
polarity. Other documents (standards, specifications, etc.) can specify that measurements are made with both
positive and negative polarity.
5.3.3 Test procedure for charge decay properties of finger cots as worn
Hydration of finger cots after wearing for a short time can significantly affect the results of this
test procedure. Performance requirements referencing this test procedure shall specify the
wearing time before measurements are made.
The following steps shall be taken:
1) Put on a wrist strap and connect it to ground.
2) Perform the null test as described in 5.4.
3) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
4) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
5) Touch the charged plate with a finger without a finger cot (wearing a wrist strap), lift the
finger up after 2 s and do not put it down again; record the decay time from 1 000 V to
100 V as a reference test.
6) Put on a finger cot.
7) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
8) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
9) Touch the charged plate with a finger wearing a finger cot (wearing a wrist strap), lift the
finger up after 2 s and do not put it down again.
10) Record the decay time to from 1 000 V to 100 V.
11) Repeat steps 7) to 10) twice to have three test results.
5.3.4 Test procedure for the charge decay properties of gloves as worn
Hydration of gloves after wearing for a short time can significantly affect the results of this test
procedure. Performance requirements referencing this test procedure shall specify the
wearing time before measurements are made.
The following steps shall be taken:
1) Put on a wrist strap and connect it to ground.
2) Perform the null test as described in 5.4.
3) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
4) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
5) Touch the charged plate with the hand flat, without gloves (wearing a wrist strap), lift the
hand up after 2 s and do not put it down again; record the decay time from 1 000 V to
100 V as a reference test.
6) Put on a glove.
7) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
8) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
9) Touch the charged plate with the hand flat, wearing a glove (wearing a wrist strap), lift
the hand up after 2 s and do not put it down again.
10) Record the decay time from 1 000 V to 100 V.
11) Repeat steps 7) to 10) twice to have three test results.
5.3.5 Test report for finger cots or gloves
The test report shall include at least the following information:

– reference to this standard, i.e. IEC 61340-2-1;
– test results (all three separately);
– null test voltage;
– date and time of measurements;
– description and/or identification of material tested;
– conditions used (for example, polarity, voltage, time between tests);
– temperature and relative humidity at the time measurements are made, and where pre-
conditioning is used, the temperature, relative humidity, duration of pre-conditioning and
the time between pre-conditioning and testing, if the conditions are different;
– time between putting on gloves or finger cots and the start of testing;
– identification of instrumentation used.
5.3.6 Test procedure for the charge decay properties of tools
The following steps shall be taken:
1) Put on a wrist strap and connect it to ground.
2) Perform the null test as described in 5.4.
3) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
4) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
5) Touch the charged plate with the hand without a tool (wearing a wrist strap), lift the hand
up after 2 s and do not put it down again; record the decay time from 1 000 V to 100 V as
a reference test.
6) Take the tool under test in the hand.
7) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
8) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
9) Touch the charged plate with the tool in the hand (wearing a wrist strap), lift the tool up
after 2 s and do not put it down again.
10) Record the decay time from 1 100 V to 100 V.
11) Repeat steps 7) to 10) twice to have three test results
5.3.7 Test report for tools
The test report shall includ
...

IEC 61340-2-1 ®
Edition 2.1 2022-06
CONSOLIDATED VERSION
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Electrostatics –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods – Ability of materials and products to dissipate
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Électrostatique –
Partie 2-1: Méthodes de mesure – Capacité des matériaux et des produits à
dissiper des charges électrostatiques

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IEC 61340-2-1 ®
Edition 2.1 2022-06
CONSOLIDATED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
Electrostatics –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods – Ability of materials and products to dissipate
static electric charge
Électrostatique –
Partie 2-1: Méthodes de mesure – Capacité des matériaux et des produits à
dissiper des charges électrostatiques
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 17.220.99; 29.020 ISBN 978-2-8322-3975-9

IEC 61340-2-1 ®
Edition 2.1 2022-06
CONSOLIDATED VERSION
REDLINE VERSION
VERSION REDLINE
colour
inside
HORIZONTAL PUBLICATION
PUBLICATION HORIZONTALE
Electrostatics –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods – Ability of materials and products to dissipate
static electric charge
Électrostatique –
Partie 2-1: Méthodes de mesure – Capacité des matériaux et des produits à
dissiper des charges électrostatiques

– 2 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4
INTRODUCTION . 6
1 Scope . 7
2 Normative references . 7
3 Terms and definitions . 8
4 Method of measurement of charge decay . 9
4.1 Principles . 9
4.2 Environmental conditions . 9
4.3 Apparatus for measurement of corona charge decay . 10
4.3.1 Physical design features . 10
4.3.2 Containment of test material . 11
4.3.3 Corona charge deposition . 11
4.3.4 Fieldmeter . 11
4.4 Apparatus for measurement of contact charge decay . 12
4.4.1 Physical design features . 12
4.4.2 Charge decay time (t ) . 13
sd
5 Practical application of test methods and procedures . 14
5.1 General . 14
5.2 Charge decay test for textile materials . 14
5.2.1 Selection of test method . 14
5.2.2 Test surface preparation . 14
5.2.3 Testing . 15
5.2.4 Results . 15
5.2.5 Test report . 15
5.3 Charge decay test via gloves, finger cots or tools . 16
5.3.1 Selection of test method . 16
5.3.2 Common steps in testing . 16
5.3.3 Test procedure for charge decay properties of finger cots as worn . 16
5.3.4 Test procedure for the charge decay properties of gloves as worn . 17
5.3.5 Test report for finger cots or gloves . 17
5.3.6 Test procedure for the charge decay properties of tools . 17
5.3.7 Test report for tools . 20
5.4 Null test for CPM. 20
Annex A (normative) Performance verification of measuring instrumentation. 21
A.1 Verification of corona charge decay measuring instrumentation . 21
A.1.1 Aspects to be verified . 21
A.1.2 Surface potential sensitivity verification . 21
A.1.3 Decay time verification . 21
A.1.4 Verification procedure . 21
A.2 Methods for verification of the capacitance of an isolated conductive plate . 22
A.2.1 General . 22
A.2.2 Capacitance meter method . 22
A.2.3 Charge measuring method . 22
A.2.4 Charge-sharing method . 23
Bibliography . 24

© IEC 2022
Figure 1 – Example of an arrangement for measurement of dissipation of charge using
corona charging . 10
Figure 2 – Example of an arrangement for measurement of dissipation of charge using

a charged plate . 12
Figure 3 – Charged plate detail . 13
Figure 4 – Charge decay time (t ) and offset voltage (U ) . 14
sd 0
Figure 5 – Examples of decay waveforms when testing tools . 20
Figure A.1 – Equivalent circuit for CPM and reference capacitor . 23

– 4 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
ELECTROSTATICS –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods –
Ability of materials and products
to dissipate static electric charge

FOREWORD
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This consolidated version of the official IEC Standard and its amendment has been
prepared for user convenience.
IEC 61340-2-1 edition 2.1 contains the second edition (2015-08) [documents
101/446/CDV and 101/462/RVC] and its amendment 1 (2022-06) [documents 101/639/CDV
and 101/651/RVC].
In this Redline version, a vertical line in the margin shows where the technical content
is modified by amendment 1. Additions are in green text, deletions are in strikethrough
red text. A separate Final version with all changes accepted is available in this
publication.
© IEC 2022
International Standard IEC 61340-2-1 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 101:
Electrostatics.
This second edition constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:
a) the first edition supported requirements in IEC TR 61340-5-1, but with the revision of IEC
TR 61340-5-1 into an International Standard, this support is no longer required; references
to IEC 61340-5-1[1] have been removed;
b) the introduction gives additional information on when charge decay time measurements
are appropriate, and the applications for which each of the two test methods are best
suited;
c) procedures for performance verification of measuring instruments for the corona charging
method have been added.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
It has the status of a horizontal standard in accordance with IEC Guide 108[3].
A list of all the parts in the IEC 61340 series, published under the general title Electrostatics,
can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of the base publication and its amendment will
remain unchanged until the stability date indicated on the IEC web site under webstore.iec.ch
in the data related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
___________
Numbers in square brackets refer to the Bibliography.

– 6 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
INTRODUCTION
Measurements of the rate of dissipation of static charge belong to the essential measurement
techniques in the field of electrostatics.
For homogeneous conductive materials, this property can be evaluated indirectly by
measuring resistance or resistivity parameters. Care should be exercised when determining
the homogeneity of materials, as some materials that appear homogenous do exhibit
non−homogeneous electrical characteristics. If the homogeneity of materials is not known and
cannot be otherwise verified, it is possible that resistance measurements may will not be
reliable or may will not give enough information. It is also possible that resistance
measurements may also will not be reliable when evaluating materials in the dissipative or
insulative range and especially for high ohmic materials including that include conductive
fibres (e.g. textiles with a metallic grid). In such cases, the rate of dissipation of static charge
should be measured directly.
© IEC 2022
ELECTROSTATICS –
Part 2-1: Measurement methods –
Ability of materials and products
to dissipate static electric charge

1 Scope
This part of IEC 61340 describes test methods for measuring the rate of dissipation of static
charge of insulating and static dissipative materials and products.
It includes a generic description of test methods and detailed test procedures for specific
applications.
The two test methods for measuring charge decay time, one using corona charging and one
using a charged metal plate are different and it is possible that they may will not give
equivalent results. Nevertheless, each method has a range of applications for which it is best
suited. The corona charging method is suitable for evaluating the ability of materials, e.g. for
example textiles, packaging, etc., to dissipate charge from their own surfaces. The charged
metal plate method is suitable for evaluating the ability of materials and objects such as
gloves, finger cots, hand tools, etc. to dissipate charge from conductive objects placed on or
in contact with them. It is possible that the charged plate method may will not be suitable for
evaluating the ability of materials to dissipate charge from their own surfaces.
In addition to its general application, this horizontal standard is also intended for use by
technical committees in the preparation of standards in accordance with the principles laid
down in IEC Guide 108.
One of the responsibilities of a technical committee is, wherever applicable, to make use of
horizontal standards in the preparation of its publications. The contents of this horizontal
standard shall not apply unless specifically referred to or included in the relevant publications.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and
are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
IEC 61010-1, Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control, and
laboratory use – Part 1: General requirements
IEC 61010-2-030, Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control, and
laboratory use – Part 2-030: Particular requirements for equipment having testing or
measuring circuits
IEC 61340-4-6, Electrostatics – Part 4-6: Standard test methods for specific applications –
Wrist straps
IEC 61340-4-7, Electrostatics – Part 4-7: Standard test methods for specific applications –
Ionization
– 8 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
charge decay
migration of charge across or through a material leading to a reduction of charge density or
surface potential at the area where the charge was deposited
3.2
charge decay time
time from an initial voltage to a set fraction of the initial voltage
Note 1 to entry: 1/e and 10 % are appropriate fractions (e is the base of natural logarithms, equal to 2,718). If the
initial voltage is low, the accuracy of decay time measurements to a small fraction of the initial voltage may can be
susceptible to the noise level of the fieldmeter.
3.3
charged plate monitor
CPM
instrument using a charged metal plate of a defined capacitance and geometry which is
discharged in order to measure charge dissipation/neutralization properties of products or
materials
Note 1 to entry: This note only applies to the French language.
3.4
corona
corona discharge
generation of ions of either polarities by a high electric field
3.5
static dissipative material
material which allows charge to migrate over its surface and/or through its volume in a time
which is short compared to the time scale of the actions creating the charge, or short
compared to the time within which this charge will cause an electrostatic problem
Note 1 to entry: Materials that may be are considered conductive in other contexts are included within this
definition for the purposes of this part of IEC 61340.
3.6
initial voltage
< corona charge decay> surface potential at a time after the end of charge deposition that is a
sensible match to the time it takes material surfaces to separate in practical situations
Note 1 to entry: A time of 100 ms is appropriate for manual tribocharging actions.
3.7
initial voltage
voltage applied to the conductive plate of a charged plate monitor
3.8
insulator
material with very low mobility of charge so that any charge on the surface will remain there
for a time which is long compared to the time scale of the actions creating the charge

© IEC 2022
4 Method of measurement of charge decay
4.1 Principles
Two methods are described.
The first method determines the dissipation of charge deposited on the surface of the material
by a corona discharge. The resulting decrease in surface potential is observed using a
fieldmeter or other equivalent equipment. This method is applicable to measurement of
charge dissipation from surfaces and materials.
The second method determines the dissipation of charge from a charged plate through an
object under test by applying a potential to the metallic plate, disconnecting the voltage
source and observing the decrease in potential of the plate by means of a fieldmeter or other
equivalent equipment. This method is applicable to measurement of charge dissipation via
products such as finger cots, gloves and hand tools.
NOTE There are more methods to charge materials other than the charging methods described here (for example
tribocharging or inductive charging) but they are not relevant for this standard.
CAUTION WARNING – The test methods specified in this International Standard document
involve the use of high-voltage power supplies that may can present hazards if handled
incorrectly, particularly by unqualified or inexperienced personnel. Users of this International
Standard document are encouraged to carry out proper risk assessments and pay due regard
to local regulations before undertaking any of the test procedures. Electrical equipment for
measurements shall comply with the safety requirements specified in IEC 61010-1 and
IEC 61010-2-030.
4.2 Environmental conditions
The electrical properties of materials vary with temperature and the absorption of moisture.
Unless otherwise agreed, the atmosphere for conditioning and testing shall be (23 ± 2) °C and
(12 ± 3) % relative humidity, and the conditioning time prior to testing shall be at least 48 h.
For measurements in practical situations the ambient temperature and relative humidity shall
be recorded.
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© IEC 2022
4.3 Apparatus for measurement of corona charge decay
4.3.1 Physical design features
Dimensions in millimetres with a tolerance of ± 1 mm.
1 2
>5 >5
∅50
1 2
∅50
IEC
Key
1 Array of corona points, the tips of which form a circle 5 Sample
(10 ± 1) mm in diameter
2 Fieldmeter sensing aperture 6 Metal plate (open backing)
3 Movable plate: 7 Aperture through which the movable plate is
withdrawn
– insulating plate to mount corona points (resistance
8 Air dam
to ground > 10 Ω)
9 Metal plate (earthed backing)
– earthed top surface to shield fieldmeter
4 Earthed casing
Figure 1 – Example of an arrangement for measurement
of dissipation of charge using corona charging
A typical arrangement and relevant dimensions of the test apparatus are shown in Figure 1.
Other equipment giving similar results may be used.
>25
© IEC 2022
The test aperture for deposition and measurement of deposited charge shall be (50 ± 1) mm
diameter or an equivalent area quasi-square aperture. An array of corona points is mounted
on a movable plate above the centre of the test aperture. The fieldmeter sensing aperture
shall be (25 ± 1) mm above the centre of the test area. When the plate with the corona points
is moved fully away, the test area shall be clear up to the plane of the fieldmeter sensing
aperture.
4.3.2 Containment of test material
With an installed material, the test aperture in the instrument base plate shall rest directly on
its surface. Sheet or flexible materials shall be supported as follows:
a) for testing materials with open backing, the material shall be rested against an earthed
metal plate with an aperture aligned with the instrument test aperture and with a width of
at least 5 mm extending beyond the aperture. A shield over the reverse side of the test
area shall be earthed and be at least 25 mm away over the whole test area;
b) for testing materials against an earthed backing, the material shall be mounted between
the instrument base plate and a flat earthed metal plate.
NOTE If charge moves more readily through the bulk test material than across its surface, then placing an
earthed metal plate immediately behind the test area can increase the rate of charge dissipation. On the other
hand, if charge moves more readily across the surface of the test material, then the rate of charge dissipation can
decrease if an earthed metal plate is used because its presence will increase the capacitive loading. To gain a full
understanding of charge dissipation from the test material, it is desirable to make measurements both with and
without an earthed metal plate backing the test area.
In practical terms, earthed backing represents a material in intimate contact with an earthed surface, for example,
a garment fitted close to the body of the wearer, or a work surface on top of a metal bench. Open-backed
measurements represent the other practical extreme where materials are separated from earthed surfaces, for
example, the bottom edge of a coat or smock which hangs away from the body of the wearer.
4.3.3 Corona charge deposition
Corona charging is achieved with at least five corona points, the tips of which form a
(10 ± 1) mm diameter circle, (10 ± 1) mm above the centre of the test area. The corona points
shall be made from non-corrosive metal wire of a diameter in the range 0,1 mm to 0,5 mm.
The exact size and distribution of charge on the material is not well defined, particularly with
the more conductive surfaces, but the arrangement provides a consistent pattern of deposited
charge and decay time measurements.
NOTE 1 Typical voltages for corona charging equipment are between 5 kV and 10 kV.
The corona duration shall be no more than 50 ms, and 10 ms or 20 ms is usually appropriate
in order to achieve an adequate initial peak voltage for measurements. Excessively long
deposition times (more than some seconds) may can damage the material.
The materials shall be tested with positive and negative polarity.
The equipment for charge deposition shall move fully away from the region of fieldmeter
observation in less than 20 ms.
NOTE 2 For corona voltages of 7 kV to 8 kV, the initial surface voltage with relatively high insulating materials will
be up to about 3 kV. For materials with fast charge decay rates the initial voltage can be much lower – for example
only 50 V to 100 V.
4.3.4 Fieldmeter
The fieldmeter shall be able to measure the surface voltage with an accuracy of ±5 V to below
the lower limit of surface voltage that is required to be measured. The response time (10 % to
90 %) shall be at least one-tenth of the faster decay time required to be measured. The
stability of the zero shall allow measurement of surface voltage with this accuracy over the
longest decay times to be measured. Therefore, a rotating vane ‘field mill’ type of fieldmeter is
preferred.
– 12 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
During corona charge deposition and decay time measurement, the fieldmeter sensing
aperture shall be well shielded from any connections or surfaces associated with corona high-
voltage supplies. There shall be no insulating materials around the region between the
fieldmeter and the test aperture during the operation of the fieldmeter.
Any residual ionization shall contribute less than 20 V to the measurement of the surface
voltage. (Excess ionization may shall be removed, for example, by using an air dam). This
may can be tested by measurements on a fully conducting test surface.
4.4 Apparatus for measurement of contact charge decay
4.4.1 Physical design features
The basic arrangement and relevant dimensions of the test apparatus are shown in Figure 2.
Other equipment giving similar results may be used.
IEC
Key
1 Ground
2 Grounded surface, greater than 150 mm square
Conductive plate (150 ± 1) mm × (150 ± 1) mm (e.g. nominal dimensions 150 mm × 150 mm)
4 Probe
Supporting insulator (resistance to ground > 10 Ω)
6 Switch
7 High-voltage power supply – current limited
8 Fieldmeter or equivalent
9 Discharge timer
10 High-voltage plate contact
Figure 2 – Example of an arrangement for measurement
of dissipation of charge using a charged plate
The instrument to measure the charge dissipation of objects under test is the charged plate
monitor (see Figure 2). The capacitance of the conductive plate shall be (150 ± 1) mm × (150
± 1) mm with a capacitance of 20 pF ± 2pF (20 ± 2) pF when mounted in the test fixture. The
dimensions of the plate do not significantly affect results and any practical size may be used
(e.g. nominal dimensions 150 mm × 150 mm). The wire between the switch and the plate shall
be as short as possible.
There shall be no objects grounded or otherwise closer than dimension A of Figure 3 to the
conductive plate, except the supporting insulators as shown in Figures 2 and 3, or the high-
___________
If the different components are integrated into one instrument, this is referred to as a charged plate monitor
(CPM).
© IEC 2022
voltage plate contact as shown in Figure 2. The resistance to ground of the supporting
insulators shall be >10 Ω. Dimension A is selected to achieve the desired capacitance. The
isolated conductive plate, when charged to the desired test voltage, shall not discharge more
than 10 % of the test voltage within 5 min under the environmental conditions specified in 4.2.
The response time of the monitoring device shall be sufficient to accurately measure charging
plate voltages.
The capacitance of the plate and the wires shall be determined according to Clause A.2.
Further design requirements, including requirements for alternative charged plate monitor
designs, are specified in IEC 61340-4-7.
IEC
Key
1 Ground
2 Grounded surface, greater than 150 mm square
3 Conductive plate (150 ± 1) mm × (150 ± 1) mm
4 Supporting insulator
Figure 3 – Charged plate detail
4.4.2 Charge decay time (t )
sd
The charge decay time is the period to reduce the initial voltage U on the charged plate to a
defined lower voltage level U , for example the time from 1 000 V to 100 V for positive or
negative polarity (see Figure 4).
There may can be occasions when the potential decay approaches a non-zero value. This
final offset voltage is designated U .
A
– 14 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
U
t = t – t
sd 2 1
U
U
Time
t t
1 2
IEC
NOTE The decay curve may or may not can go down to 0 V or not.
Figure 4 – Charge decay time (t ) and offset voltage (U )
sd 0
5 Practical application of test methods and procedures
5.1 General
Clause 5 describes the application of the test methods for evaluating specific materials and
products. The test methods have wider applicability and can be used to evaluate many
different materials and products in addition to those included in Clause 5.
5.2 Charge decay test for textile materials
5.2.1 Selection of test method
For charge decay tests on textile materials, the corona charging method shall be used.
5.2.2 Test surface preparation
The sample presented for test shall be big enough to completely cover the test fixture and
shall be clean and free from loose dust.
Remove any loose dust by gentle brushing or blowing with clean dry air. If the surface is
obviously contaminated, either test an alternative area of the material or make measurements
with the contamination present and report the condition of testing ‘as received’.
For laboratory measurements, the materials shall be cleaned according to the manufacturer’s
instructions. The materials used for cleaning and the method used shall be reported.
For measurements in practical or installed applications, the materials shall be tested without
any “special” cleaning. If cleaning is part of the process, for example, washing of garments,
measurements should be taken before and after cleaning where practical. The materials and
the method used to clean shall be reported.
Contamination of samples is best avoided by only handling with tweezers or gloved hands.
Voltage
© IEC 2022
5.2.3 Testing
Rest the test aperture on the surface to be tested, set up appropriate charging conditions and
make the required number of charge decay measurements.
The test equipment shall remain steady and undisturbed on the surface for the duration of
each measurement.
Movement of the test equipment relative to the surface can cause tribocharging and result in a
sudden change of observed charge distribution, which requires the test to be re-started.
Make measurements with both positive and negative polarities.
Make measurements on sheet and film materials, both with open-shielded backing and with
an earthed surface backing.
At least three measurements shall be made for each set of test conditions with each sample.
The time between measurements shall be such that the surface voltage falls to below 5 % of
the expected initial voltage before starting the next measurement.
All measurements shall be made on different locations.
5.2.4 Results
The charge decay time values are the measured times for the surface voltage to fall from the
initial voltage to a defined fraction of the initial voltage.
Charge decay time values quoted shall be the average of the values measured under the test
conditions that provide the longest decay times.
If it is not possible to achieve the required initial surface voltage with a corona voltage of at
least 7 kV, then this fact shall be recorded together with the actual surface voltage achieved.
5.2.5 Test report
The test report shall include at least the following information:
– reference to this International Standard, i.e. IEC 61340-2-1;
– test results (all values plus charge decay time according to 5.2.4);
– number of samples tested;
– date and time of measurements;
– description and/or identification of material tested;
– charging conditions used (for example, polarity, corona voltage, charging duration,
electrode dimensions, time between tests);
– whether the sample is supported with an open backing or an earthed backing surface;
– temperature and relative humidity at the time measurements are made, and where pre-
conditioning is used, the temperature, relative humidity, duration of pre-conditioning, and
the time between pre-conditioning and testing, if the conditions are different;
– identification of instrumentation used and date of most recent and next calibration.

– 16 – IEC 61340-2-1:2015+AMD1:2022 CSV
© IEC 2022
5.3 Charge decay test via gloves, finger cots or tools
5.3.1 Selection of test method
For charge decay tests on gloves, finger cots or tools, a charged plate monitor according to
4.4 and a wrist strap according to IEC 61340-4-6 shall be used. For the following procedure,
all technical values shall be observed within 10 %, or as otherwise agreed.
5.3.2 Common steps in testing
A null test shall be performed at the start of each test sequence to determine if tribocharging
makes a significant contribution to the voltage values. The voltage of the null test shall be
reported with the test data.
Decay time recording from a bare hand shall also be performed at the start of each test
sequence to check the ground system through the wrist strap, and the response time of the
measuring system.
In order to measure decay times from 1 000 V under near constant capacitance conditions, it
is necessary to charge the conductive plate to greater than 1 000 V.
If the reading after lifting the finger, hand or tool is higher than in the null test, it shall be
concluded that there has been no significant discharge and the changing voltage was
dominated by the changing capacitance between the finger, hand or tool and the conductive
plate.
NOTE 1 Total capacitance during testing will be affected by the capacitance added by contact to the test item, so
the pressure applied when testing a finger cot, glove or tool can be relevant. Pressure applied during testing can
be monitored by placing the CPM apparatus on a suitable balance or force indicating equipment.
NOTE 2 For highly resistive materials, it can be beneficial to make measurements with both positive and negative
polarity. Other documents (standards, specifications, etc.) can specify that measurements are made with both
positive and negative polarity.
5.3.3 Test procedure for charge decay properties of finger cots as worn
Hydration of finger cots after wearing for a short time can significantly affect the results of this
test procedure. Performance requirements referencing this test procedure shall specify the
wearing time before measurements are made.
The following steps shall be taken:
1) Put on a wrist strap and connect it to ground.
2) Perform the null test as described in 5.4.
3) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
4) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
5) Touch the charged plate with a finger without a finger cot (wearing a wrist strap), lift the
finger up after 2 s and do not put it down again; record the decay time from 1 000 V to
100 V as a reference test.
6) Put on a finger cot.
7) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
8) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
9) Touch the charged plate with a finger wearing a finger cot (wearing a wrist strap), lift the
finger up after 2 s and do not put it down again.
10) Record the decay time to from 1 000 V to 100 V.
11) Repeat steps 7) to 10) twice to have three test results.

© IEC 2022
5.3.4 Test procedure for the charge decay properties of gloves as worn
Hydration of gloves after wearing for a short time can significantly affect the results of this test
procedure. Performance requirements referencing this test procedure shall specify the
wearing time before measurements are made.
The following steps shall be taken:
1) Put on a wrist strap and connect it to ground.
2) Perform the null test as described in 5.4.
3) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
4) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
5) Touch the charged plate with the hand flat, without gloves (wearing a wrist strap), lift the
hand up after 2 s and do not put it down again; record the decay time from 1 000 V to
100 V as a reference test.
6) Put on a glove.
7) Charge the conductive plate up to 1 100 V.
8) Disconnect the high-voltage power supply from the charged plate.
9) Touch the charged plate with the hand flat, wearing a glove (wearing a wrist strap), lift
the hand up after 2 s and do not put it down again.
10) Record the decay time from 1 000 V to 100 V.
11) Repeat steps 7) to 10) twice to have three test results.
5.3.5 Test report for finger cots or gloves
The test report shall include at least the following information:
– reference to this standard, i.e. IEC 61340-2-1;
– test results (all three separately);
– null test volt
...