ISO 18080-4:2015

• Abstract:

  ISO 18080-4:2015 specifies a test method using horizontal mechanical friction with measurement of friction-charged electrostatic potential on specimens of fabric and the time for that potential to decay. The test method is suitable for fabrics of all types of composition and construction that are capable of withstanding frictional charging. Some fabrics, e.g. fabrics of low strength or loose construction, may not be physically capable of withstanding the manual friction used in this test method or may give false results. In such cases, the test method described in ISO 18080‑1 can be used to evaluate electrostatic propensity. The test method described may not be suitable for evaluating garments and garment materials in relation to safety of personnel and protection of electrostatic discharge sensitive devices.

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 10-Dec-2015
• ICS: 59.080.30 - Textile fabrics
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 38 - Textiles
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 38 - Textiles
• Current Stage: 9060 - Close of review
• Completion Date: 02-Dec-2031

Overview - ISO 18080-4:2015 (Textiles, Electrostatic Propensity)

ISO 18080-4:2015 defines a laboratory test method using horizontal mechanical friction to evaluate the electrostatic propensity of fabrics. The standard measures the friction‑charged electrostatic potential generated on fabric specimens and the time for that potential to decay (e.g., peak potential and half‑decay time). It applies to most fabric types that can withstand frictional charging but excludes some low‑strength or loosely constructed materials and is not intended as a safety/ESD certification for garments or personnel protection.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Principle: A rubbing fabric rubs the specimen horizontally; after rubbing the specimen is placed under an electrostatic fieldmeter and potential vs. time is recorded.
• Measurements: Peak (friction‑charged) electrostatic potential and decay metrics such as half decay time.
• Apparatus: Includes a rubbing unit, specimen table/holder, rotating‑sector electrostatic fieldmeter (effective diameter 40–45 mm at ~50 mm distance), recorder, controller and calibration electrode. Conductive parts must be earthed (resistance < 10 Ω).
• Specimen and rubbing fabric: Typical specimen size is 120 × 100 mm; rubbing fabric pieces are 300 × 300 mm. Rubbing is applied repeatedly (standard sequence includes 10 rubs) at a controlled rate (≈2 cycles/s).
• Conditioning and atmosphere: Default conditioning/testing atmosphere is (20 ± 2) °C and (40 ± 4) % RH; specimens are dried and conditioned per the standard before testing.
• Preparation and cleansing: Cleansing options include water washing (ISO 6330 procedures) or dry‑cleaning (ISO 3175 series); any deviations must be recorded.
• Reporting and validation: Test reports must record apparatus details, conditioning, deviations and calculated electrostatic parameters. Alternative apparatus may be used only after validation.

Applications - who uses it and why

• Textile laboratories and quality control teams assessing antistatic performance of apparel and technical fabrics.
• Manufacturers of clothing for cleanrooms, hygiene, food, biotechnology and precision‑technology industries where reduced clinging, dust attraction and static shocks are desirable.
• R&D and test houses comparing fabric finishes, blends or surface treatments for reduced electrostatic propensity.
• Standards bodies and procurement teams specifying electrostatic behavior in material selection or product specifications.

Note: For fabrics that cannot withstand horizontal mechanical friction or for other charging modes, consider other parts of ISO 18080 (Part 1: corona charging; Part 2: rotary mechanical friction; Part 3: manual friction).

Related standards

• ISO 18080 series (Parts 1–3)
• ISO 105‑F01 / ISO 105‑F02 (rubbing fabrics)
• ISO 6330 (domestic washing procedures)
• ISO 3175‑2 / ISO 3175‑3 (drycleaning)
• ISO 139 (measurement reference for atmospheric measurements)

Keywords: ISO 18080-4:2015, textiles, electrostatic propensity, horizontal mechanical friction, electrostatic potential, decay time, fieldmeter, antistatic testing.

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 18080-4
First edition
2015-12-15
Textiles — Test methods for
evaluating the electrostatic
propensity of fabrics —
Part 4:
Test method using horizontal
mechanical friction
Textiles — Méthodes d’essai pour l’évaluation de la propension des
étoffes électrostatique —
Partie 4: Méthode d’essai de friction mécanique horizontale
Reference number
©
ISO 2015
© ISO 2015, Published in Switzerland
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
Ch. de Blandonnet 8 • CP 401
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]
www.iso.org
ii © ISO 2015 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 2
5 Conditioning and testing atmosphere . 2
6 Apparatus . 2
7 Movement of the test apparatus . 4
8 Preparation of specimen . 5
8.1 Sampling . 5
8.2 Cleansing of sample . 5
8.2.1 General. 5
8.2.2 Wash by water . 5
8.2.3 Dry cleaning . 5
8.3 Conditioning of sample . 5
9 Test procedure . 6
10 Test report . 7
Annex A (informative) Test result . 8
Bibliography .10
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) are worldwide federations of national standards bodies (ISO member bodies and IEC
national committees). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO and IEC technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO
collaborates closely with IEC on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical
Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following URL: Foreword - Supplementary information
The committees responsible for this document are Technical Committee ISO/TC 38, Textiles and
IEC/TC 101 Electrostatics as JWG 26, Antistatic, in the lead of ISO/TC 38.
ISO 18080 consists of the following parts, under the general title Textiles — Test methods for evaluating
the electrostatic propensity of fabrics:
— Part 1: Test method using corona charging
— Part 2: Test method using rotary mechanical friction
— Part 3: Test method using manual friction
— Part 4: Test method using horizontal mechanical friction
iv © ISO 2015 – All rights reserved

Introduction
In addition to safety hazards and damage or disruption of sensitive electronic devices and systems
which are covered by other International Standards, electrostatic charging of clothing can also cause
problems of clinging, uncomfortable shocks and the attraction of airborne dust and other contaminants.
Clothing designed to avoid airborne dust contamination is required in a number of expanding industries
relating to precision technology, biotechnology, food, hygiene, etc. It is also generally desirable to have
clothing that does not cling or cause uncomfortable shocks.
Test methods are required to evaluate the propensity of fabrics used to make clothing designed to avoid
problems associated with electrostatic charging. Test methods are specified in a number of National and
International Standards including those published by ISO and IEC. However, the relationship between
measurable electrostatic properties and end use performance is rather complex and may require a
combination of different test methods depending on application.
The test method described in this International Standard is one of a number of test methods that can be
used to evaluate the electrostatic propensity of textile materials.
The test method is based on frictional charging which is one of the main charging mechanisms present
in practical wearing conditions. Although the methods described in ISO 18080-2 and ISO 18080-3 also
use frictional charging, the results may not be directly comparable in absolute terms because of the
different ways in which friction is applied.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 18080-4:2015(E)
Textiles — Test methods for evaluating the electrostatic
propensity of fabrics —
Part 4:
Test method using horizontal mechanical friction
1 Scope
This part of ISO 18080 specifies a test method using horizontal mechanical friction with measurement
of friction-charged electrostatic potential on specimens of fabric and the time for that potential to decay.
The test method is suitable for fabrics of all types of composition and construction that are capable of
withstanding frictional charging.
Some fabrics, e.g. fabrics of low strength or loose construction, may not be physically capable of
withstanding the manual friction used in this test method or may give false results. In such cases, the
test method described in ISO 18080-1 can be used to evaluate electrostatic propensity.
The test method described may not be suitable for evaluating garments and garment materials in
relation to safety of personnel and protection of electrostatic discharge sensitive devices.
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.
ISO 105-F01, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F01: Specification for wool adjacent fabric
ISO 105-F02, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F02: Specification for cotton and viscose
adjacent fabrics
ISO 3175-2, Textiles — Professional care, drycleaning and wetcleaning of fabrics and garments — Part 2:
Procedure for testing performance when cleaning and finishing using tetrachloroethene
ISO 3175-3, Textiles — Professional care, drycleaning and wetcleaning of fabrics and garments — Part 3:
Procedure for testing performance when cleaning and finishing using hydrocarbon solvents
ISO 6330, Textiles — Domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
antistatic
property of a material that reduces its propensity to acquire electrostatic charges or allows electrostatic
charges to dissipate quickly
3.2
conductive
providing a sufficiently high conductivity so that potential differences over any parts of a material or
object are not sufficiently large to be of practical significance
3.3
friction-charged electrostatic potential
potential generated on a material by friction with another or same material obtained as voltage
3.4
decay time
time for the impressed voltage to decay to a percentage of the peak voltage
3.5
half decay time
time fo
...

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 18080-4
First edition
2015-12-15
Textiles — Test methods for
evaluating the electrostatic
propensity of fabrics —
Part 4:
Test method using horizontal
mechanical friction
Textiles — Méthodes d’essai pour l’évaluation de la propension des
étoffes électrostatique —
Partie 4: Méthode d’essai de friction mécanique horizontale
Reference number
©
ISO 2015
© ISO 2015, Published in Switzerland
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
Ch. de Blandonnet 8 • CP 401
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
[e-mail]
www.iso.org
ii © ISO 2015 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 2
5 Conditioning and testing atmosphere . 2
6 Apparatus . 2
7 Movement of the test apparatus . 4
8 Preparation of specimen . 5
8.1 Sampling . 5
8.2 Cleansing of sample . 5
8.2.1 General. 5
8.2.2 Wash by water . 5
8.2.3 Dry cleaning . 5
8.3 Conditioning of sample . 5
9 Test procedure . 6
10 Test report . 7
Annex A (informative) Test result . 8
Bibliography .10
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) are worldwide federations of national standards bodies (ISO member bodies and IEC
national committees). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
ISO and IEC technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO
collaborates closely with IEC on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical
Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following URL: Foreword - Supplementary information
The committees responsible for this document are Technical Committee ISO/TC 38, Textiles and
IEC/TC 101 Electrostatics as JWG 26, Antistatic, in the lead of ISO/TC 38.
ISO 18080 consists of the following parts, under the general title Textiles — Test methods for evaluating
the electrostatic propensity of fabrics:
— Part 1: Test method using corona charging
— Part 2: Test method using rotary mechanical friction
— Part 3: Test method using manual friction
— Part 4: Test method using horizontal mechanical friction
iv © ISO 2015 – All rights reserved

Introduction
In addition to safety hazards and damage or disruption of sensitive electronic devices and systems
which are covered by other International Standards, electrostatic charging of clothing can also cause
problems of clinging, uncomfortable shocks and the attraction of airborne dust and other contaminants.
Clothing designed to avoid airborne dust contamination is required in a number of expanding industries
relating to precision technology, biotechnology, food, hygiene, etc. It is also generally desirable to have
clothing that does not cling or cause uncomfortable shocks.
Test methods are required to evaluate the propensity of fabrics used to make clothing designed to avoid
problems associated with electrostatic charging. Test methods are specified in a number of National and
International Standards including those published by ISO and IEC. However, the relationship between
measurable electrostatic properties and end use performance is rather complex and may require a
combination of different test methods depending on application.
The test method described in this International Standard is one of a number of test methods that can be
used to evaluate the electrostatic propensity of textile materials.
The test method is based on frictional charging which is one of the main charging mechanisms present
in practical wearing conditions. Although the methods described in ISO 18080-2 and ISO 18080-3 also
use frictional charging, the results may not be directly comparable in absolute terms because of the
different ways in which friction is applied.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 18080-4:2015(E)
Textiles — Test methods for evaluating the electrostatic
propensity of fabrics —
Part 4:
Test method using horizontal mechanical friction
1 Scope
This part of ISO 18080 specifies a test method using horizontal mechanical friction with measurement
of friction-charged electrostatic potential on specimens of fabric and the time for that potential to decay.
The test method is suitable for fabrics of all types of composition and construction that are capable of
withstanding frictional charging.
Some fabrics, e.g. fabrics of low strength or loose construction, may not be physically capable of
withstanding the manual friction used in this test method or may give false results. In such cases, the
test method described in ISO 18080-1 can be used to evaluate electrostatic propensity.
The test method described may not be suitable for evaluating garments and garment materials in
relation to safety of personnel and protection of electrostatic discharge sensitive devices.
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.
ISO 105-F01, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F01: Specification for wool adjacent fabric
ISO 105-F02, Textiles — Tests for colour fastness — Part F02: Specification for cotton and viscose
adjacent fabrics
ISO 3175-2, Textiles — Professional care, drycleaning and wetcleaning of fabrics and garments — Part 2:
Procedure for testing performance when cleaning and finishing using tetrachloroethene
ISO 3175-3, Textiles — Professional care, drycleaning and wetcleaning of fabrics and garments — Part 3:
Procedure for testing performance when cleaning and finishing using hydrocarbon solvents
ISO 6330, Textiles — Domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
antistatic
property of a material that reduces its propensity to acquire electrostatic charges or allows electrostatic
charges to dissipate quickly
3.2
conductive
providing a sufficiently high conductivity so that potential differences over any parts of a material or
object are not sufficiently large to be of practical significance
3.3
friction-charged electrostatic potential
potential generated on a material by friction with another or same material obtained as voltage
3.4
decay time
time for the impressed voltage to decay to a percentage of the peak voltage
3.5
half decay time
time fo
...