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Why are packing peanuts/styrofoam so electrically charged?

Iamme

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For this Halloween I was going to dump out the packing peanuts in a big box and put candy in it in the way people fill up punch bowls and kettles with candy. Welllllll...as I was dumping and scooping out the packing peanuts they started not just annoyingly flying around, as they are so light...but they were sticking to me. The more I'd try brushing them, or crumbs of them, off, the more they would fly back onto me. What gives?

I then and there just abandoned that frustrating idea and ended up cutting paper sacks in half and placed candy of various assortment in them, and set them by the door, to let the kids pick and choose.
 
Sounds like you were producing lots of static electricity, hence the sticking. The reason why they are sticking so much is that the 'packing peanuts' are insulators, and charge rubs off onto them which because they are so light even a small amount of charge will be enough to overcome gravity when they drift near you.
 
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The effect you notice is due less to the peanuts being more charged than other things that carry static electricity than to the fact that they're so lightweight. Like most plastics, expanded polystyrene peanuts tend to draw electrons away from many common materials, like air and cardboard. Because they're nonconductive, that charge remains "static" on the surface, rather than traveling through the material and being discharged. (Think of how when you rub a balloon against a material that gives up electrons easily, like hair, the charge remains static on one spot on the balloon.) All those like negative charges on the surface of the polystyrene repel each other, causing the lightweight peanuts to push apart.

You may notice that pink peanuts are often used as packing with electronics. These have an antistatic ingredient. I like the cornstarch peanuts because they're boidegradeable and edible.

ETA: Nessus beat me to it.
 
Gravy said:
apart.

. I like the cornstarch peanuts because they're boidegradeable and edible.

ETA: Nessus beat me to it.
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Unless there are two types of edible/soluble peanuts, I believe they are potato:) starch rather than corn. What I was told by other sources anyway (and they do taste like that is correct).:)
 
fuelair said:
Unless there are two types of edible/soluble peanuts, I believe they are potato:) starch rather than corn. What I was told by other sources anyway (and they do taste like that is correct).:)
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The ones I had were corn, and they tasted pretty good. This was years ago when that product was brand new. I had been reading about it and thought it was a great idea. Then one day I walked into the warehouse of the business where I worked and noticed a box being unpacked with these odd looking peanuts. I grebbed a handful, shoved them in my mouth, and ate them. You should have seen the warehousemen freak out! They had no idea about this new product.

N.B. I have no idea what additives may be in these things. It's best to assume that they're not food-grade!
 
Gravy said:
The ones I had were corn, and they tasted pretty good. This was years ago when that product was brand new. I had been reading about it and thought it was a great idea. Then one day I walked into the warehouse of the business where I worked and noticed a box being unpacked with these odd looking peanuts. I grebbed a handful, shoved them in my mouth, and ate them. You should have seen the warehousemen freak out! They had no idea about this new product.

N.B. I have no idea what additives may be in these things. It's best to assume that they're not food-grade!
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Well, as Gravy, I suppose we should expect you to have a little corn starch...
 
Gravy said:
The effect you notice is due less to the peanuts being more charged than other things that carry static electricity than to the fact that they're so lightweight. Like most plastics, expanded polystyrene peanuts tend to draw electrons away from many common materials, like air and cardboard. Because they're nonconductive, that charge remains "static" on the surface, rather than traveling through the material and being discharged. (Think of how when you rub a balloon against a material that gives up electrons easily, like hair, the charge remains static on one spot on the balloon.) All those like negative charges on the surface of the polystyrene repel each other, causing the lightweight peanuts to push apart.

You may notice that pink peanuts are often used as packing with electronics. These have an antistatic ingredient. I like the cornstarch peanuts because they're boidegradeable and edible.

ETA: Nessus beat me to it.
Click to expand...

Why don't feathers, or dust, then drift towards and stick to and coat you , if the lightweight argument is the real cause?

Speaking about anti-static...those dryer sheets have an anti-static ingredient in them, and this goo can clog up your dryer lint screen, and some dryer manufacturers claim the use of these will void their warrantees. In my line of work, I have to use a degreaser on dryer lint screens, sometimes, due to the use of these sheets, to open up the pores in the clogged lint screens so the clothes can dry faster. Just thought I'd share this.
 
Iamme said:
Why don't feathers, or dust, then drift towards and stick to and coat you , if the lightweight argument is the real cause?
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Those things just don't have the same electron-trading tendencies as plastics do. The friction of rubbing the plastic makea a big difference also. Think about the difference between placing a balloon against your hair and rubbing it against your hair. It's the rubbing that gets those electrons jumping. A larger chunk of styrofoam that's used for packing material might gain a healthy static charge like the peanuts, but it's not going to stick to you because it weighs too much.
 
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I wonder if an electrostatic charge imight be imparted to the beads at the packing stage to stop them clumping and help them flow? IIf they are blown from a hopper by dry air (as seems likely) they are apt to acquire a charge then , no?
 
A can of Static-Guard really helps with packing peanuts. Spray your sleeves and the peanuts (if there are no exposed items in the box) and the peanuts don't cling.

I always have Static-Gurad on hand because it gets so dry here that I'd electricute myself and everyone else otherwise.
 
My error (assuming /relying on information I did not research personally) they are indeed cornstarch.
 
Gravy said:
The ones I had were corn, and they tasted pretty good. This was years ago when that product was brand new. I had been reading about it and thought it was a great idea. Then one day I walked into the warehouse of the business where I worked and noticed a box being unpacked with these odd looking peanuts. I grebbed a handful, shoved them in my mouth, and ate them. You should have seen the warehousemen freak out! They had no idea about this new product.

N.B. I have no idea what additives may be in these things. It's best to assume that they're not food-grade!
Click to expand...

It's times like this, Gravy, when I'm glad you're not our leader.
 
Iamme said:
Why don't feathers, or dust, then drift towards and stick to and coat you , if the lightweight argument is the real cause?
Click to expand...

Why do you think that your computer monitor needs to constantly be cleaned of dust? The static charge on the monitor causes the dust to drift to it and stick faster than it normally would.
 
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