Options for ridding records of static electricity

@daveyf,

You just proved my point in your question.

I’m not a scientist, but my logical mind understands this. I believe all of us have a logical mind. Whether or not we choose to use it, is up to us.

When two dissimilar objects come in contact with one another, there is an energy produced. This same principle is used in automobiles today. The energy from braking is transformed to charging batteries. Get it?

The process of rubbing a circular felt pad on a record certainly would create static, except for the fact that GG stops it when it is applied.  And no, I don't particularly like the idea of applying a coating to the record, but I am suggesting GG as a potential fix for someone who is unable to enjoy vinyl records due to static buildup. Or they can try something else. It is only one of many solutions and the OP has a choice. 

Triboelectric Effect (source MIL-HDBK-263B): “The generation of static electricity caused by contacting or rubbing two substances is called the triboelectric effect. A triboelectric series is a list of substances in an order of positive to negative charging as a result of the triboelectric effect. A substance higher on the list is positively charged (loses electrons) when contacted with a substance lower on the list (which gains electrons). The order of ranking in a triboelectric series is not always a constant or repetitive. Furthermore, the degree of separation of two substances in the triboelectric series does not necessarily indicate the magnitude of the charges created by triboelectric effect. Order in the series and magnitude of the charges are dependent upon the properties of the substance, but these properties are modified by factors such as purity, ambient conditions, pressure of contact, speed of rubbing or separation, and the contact area over which the rubbing occurs. In addition to the rubbing of two different substances, substantial electrostatic charges can also be generated triboelectrically when two pieces of the same material, especially common plastic in intimate contact, are separated as occurs when separating the sides of a plastic bag. Some metals, can create significant charges from triboelectric generation. Aluminum, when rubbed with a common plastic can generate substantial electrostatic charges.”

There are a number of published Triboelectric series, the most recent Quantifying the Triboelectric Series published 2015. The table in this recent series compares similar to the previous widely accepted The Triboelectric Series, Bill W. Lee, David E. Orr). ©2009 by AlphaLab, Inc.  PVC is very high (negative charge) on the triboelectric series.   

In the triboelectric series, human hands are very positively charged (loses electrons) while vinyl records are very negatively charged (gain electrons). Use of a conductive brush to remove static from a record that is intended to use the human body as the ground path may not work if the human body is not grounded, and even then, the human body depending on many variables may at best only be dissipative.  The bodies resistance can change between dry and humid conditions.  If your body is charged and you touch the record,  you will charge the record - rule of thumb - always first ground yourself before touching records.

Gruv-Glide ingredients appear to have changed - see  https://www.vinylengine.com/turntable_forum/viewtopic.php?t=68877.  The original formula with Quaternary ammonium compounds (a cationic surfactant) would have left a very thin film on the record.  Cationic surfactants reduce static by absorbing water from the air to form a thin coating of water on the record to make the record dissipative (as defined by ESD terms).  Over time, the cationic surfactant will break-down and the anti-static effect lost (any grunge developed notwithstanding).  If you have used the older version - be aware that follow-on cleaning with an anionic surfactant can form a sticky paste - anionic surfactants (in every dish detergent) are not soluble with cationic surfactants.  The new formula with only water and IPA should not leave any coating-film.  Simple water-IPA solutions are commonly used in Cleanrooms to "remove" static charge.  Any wet cleaning procedure will remove the static charge - it changes the record to dissipative.  But once dry - depending on the application, static charge can again build-up.  New records often have a static charge.

Felt is a type of fabric manufacture - but what is the material? Traditionally it has been wool and yes if dry that will cause static charge with a pvc recrod, but Felt can be also be manufactured from synthetic materials.

Use of conductive brushes with grounds is what the industry uses to control static charge in fabric/plastic sheeting manufacture.  But, the brush does not actually touch the fabric/plastic - it is positioned just a very small distance above because carbon while immensely strong axially (along the shaft) is brittle cross-wise.

Grounding the platter bearing as has been  addressed works, but for synthetic platters - maybe not as much.   

Dr. Van-den-Hul recommends placing a sponge wetted by DI water near the turntable to increase the humidity is the vicinity.  Once the ambient humidity drops below ~35%, static charge build-up can be a real challenge.

As some have addressed, there are  direct ionizing devices such as the Milty Zerostat™ 3 Antistatic Gun, and the DS Audio ION-001 Vinyl Ionizer.  But be advised that any ionizing device can develop ozone and that Buna-N (nitrile) rubber is very sensitive to ozone cracking; EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber is not ozone sensitive.

Most of the above has been extracted from the paper Precision Aqueous Cleaning of Vinyl Record Chapter VI; available here - (no cost) https://thevinylpress.com/precision-aqueous-cleaning-of-vinyl-records/

 

Thanx Antin, very helpful. I would just like to make several comments in addition. The charge is developed during play. Devices that neutralize the static before play are not useful. The charge develops rapidly and spreads over the surface of the record. The record collects dust during play especially if you are not using a dust cover. You can charge the record by rubbing your hand back and forth across the record, a behavior most of us would cringe to think about. Grounding the platter does not work. Even if you discharged the bottom of the record you are not discharging the top of the record. Static does not make a U turn around a sharp edge.  Also very few mats are conductive. Many platters now are not conductive
You mention conductive brushes and why  handheld brushes do not work. Good conductive sweep arms use the same bristles used in the hand held brushes just a bit longer. The arm I currently use, this one 
https://www.sleevecityusa.com/Antistatic-Record-Cleaning-Arm-p/tac-01.htm  is quite durable. Mine must be 6 years old at least and shows no sign of giving up. It is admittedly a little flimsy is some ways but with slight modification it stays permanently in adjustment and is a breeze to use.
The arm is set up so that the bristles just barely touch the record. This gives the best tracking and clears any incidental dust away from the stylus. I have a felt pad stuck to the left front corner of the turntable which I wipe the brush on before play. I clean the pad every so often with alcohol. I clean the arm maybe twice yearly with alcohol. The arm works perfectly. You can not hear it tracking the record. You can not hear it through the system even if you drop it on the record during a silent groove. If you use the right sleeves the records never hold any static charge, not even a whisper and the records remain perfectly clean. If you do not use a dust cover during play the records won't remain quite as clean but the sweep arm will clear any incidental dust away from the stylus. You will however contaminate the record sleeves with the small amount of dust that falls on the record during play which is way less than what you would have with a charged record which pulls dust in like a magnet. Take an old record and rub it with your hands to create a good charge. Now hold the record up to the light in such a way that you can see dust. Dust from over a foot away will swing toward the record and fly right into it. Now think about 10,000 PSI running over it (20,000 total, 10,000 per contact patch) It is no wonder records get noisy, scratchy and dirty with recurrent play. My oldest records, the ones I had when I was 6 years old are painful to listen to even after cleaning and with a modern stylus. My father's records are not much better. He used an old ESL tonearm with an Empire Cartridge and no anti skate. Who knew? 
Anyway, with a large collection none of us play the same record over and over so our records can last forever if taken care of. 
The conductive sweep arm mentioned above is a whopping 20 bucks.
If you get one and want to know a few tricks in set up just message me.