# Wraping RAM in foil



## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

A few weeks ago, I was looking up about RAM and came across a thread (I'm pretty sure it was on this board) where someone asked about the best way to mail it.

Someone said if you don't have an anti-static bag, to wrap it in aluminum foil. Prevents static electricity from hitting it.

I just told someone (who knows about computers, etc) this and he said NO WAY and wrapping RAM (or any other parts) in foil would short it out and ruin it. 

Maybe he had never heard of it before and this was the first reaction? I thought the same thing when I first read it, and I don't know that much about it.

At the time my daughter was sending me RAM from another state (from a computer she'd had) and I told her to wrap it in foil and put it between cardboard in a padded envelople. She did, I put it in and it works fine.

What is the real story about this? And, if it's okay to wrap RAM in, what about other parts like harddrives, modems, etc? To store them?

I'm sure the anti static bags are best, and probably inexpensive, but in my case I have a hard to getting things like that, and prefer to use an alternative, that I might have around the house (or can get at a grocery store).

Thanks,

~ Carrie


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## DaveBurnett (Nov 11, 2002)

I've never heard of wrapping it in foil, but from a logical point of view, I suppose it does make a weird sort of sense. I certainly will NOT short anything as long as it is all remove before using it.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

I put mine in bubble wrap


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## CoasterFreak (Aug 22, 2003)

I've wrapped processors and RAM in foil before. No problem here, I mean I never mailed it..and it usually sits to its not moving around, but like I said, I've never had any problems.


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## foloyd (May 26, 2004)

My theory:
Aluminum foil does not transfer electricity very well (if at all) so it will absorb any static charges and keep the RAM safe. 

Clever idea.


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## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

That's how I remember reading it.

Like I said, I'm pretty sure I read about it in a thread on this board. That was the idea it DOESN'T connect static, it repels it.

Someone asked about mailing RAM he had sold to someone on ebay.

I thought I had read it right, but wasn't sure.

I would think bubble wrap, or a bubble lined envelope. Someone in that thread said to get a new (dry) spong long enough to fit it in and slit it open, putting the foil wrapped RAM in.

I would think foil (now I've verified this) sandwhiched between 2 strips of cardboard in a padded envelope would work.

This is how my daughter sent it to me. Actually, it had been through a lot before getting mailed, her teenage son had taken the computer apart, then she couldn't find it- it had fallen in back of her computer desk (she had suspected first that her dog ate it  But, it seems to work fine.

Maybe RAM is tougher than we think.

~ Carrie


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## ctuna (Apr 9, 2001)

When you wrap electronics in plastic you are asking for problems. Plastic is the major cause of ESD. Pull a section of plastic tape and watch it curl up by the attraction of the electron charges. Foil would be better but an ESD bag is the best.


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## ~Candy~ (Jan 27, 2001)

Really, then I guess that would make me wonder why my sound card, firewire card, usb port card were all in bubble wrap


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## Tumbleweed36 (Feb 13, 2004)

Hi,

While foil does not transfer static very well, IT DOES have the capability to transfer it in minute amounts. I don't want my ram coming in contact with ANY static transer, so would suggest if you don't have an anti-static bag, to place it in a rubber sponge and prevent it from touching anything else. Just an opinion.


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## HappyHacker (Nov 9, 2003)

I have never had a component fail due to ESD, and have handled alot of stuff. Some in bags, some ?taped to cardboard? The only precaution I take when assembling or handling components is to take off my socks and shoes, usally cause I'm at home.


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## starchild (Sep 17, 2002)

AcaCandy said:


> Really, then I guess that would make me wonder why my sound card, firewire card, usb port card were all in bubble wrap


 The internal cd-burner drive I got about a month ago came wrapped in bubble wrap, too.

The anti-static bags seem to be foil coating on plastic.

The person who started me thinking abut this today, who said it wasn't good to wrap in foil said to put plastic around it FIRST and then the foil and that would be okay.

I don't think he knew anything about it, and his first reaction was it's metal and not good.

I would think slicing a dry sponge and putting a strip of RAM in it wouldn't be good, because it has tiny crumbs (the sponge) And aren't sponges made from a form of plastic? I mean the ordinary ones you buy in stories?

I think I've started something with this thread. It's sort of like the question "do you leave your computer (the power) ON all the time and let it go on standby, or turn it off at night and put it on in the morning?"

I turn mine off (shut it down) and put it on in the morning. Same when I go out of the house. I asked someone I know about this once, who worked for the local fire dept and he said to always turn everything like that off when you leave or go to bed. He recomended unplugging everything, even toasters, coffee makers, etc.

I compromise and unplug my coffeemaker when I go out. And computer (and turn off the plug strip with everything in it)

~ Carrie


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## cnimbus (Mar 1, 2003)

foloyd said:


> My theory:
> Aluminum foil does not transfer electricity very well (if at all) so it will absorb any static charges and keep the RAM safe.
> 
> Clever idea.


Aluminum foil conducts electricity very well. Antistatic packaging is also conductive, which is how it protects against static electricity.

The damage to electronic components is caused by electric current flowing from one point to others. For this to happen, there must be a voltage difference between the points, even if only for a moment. The voltage level in a conductive material is the same everywhere (but not necessarily zero volts). This being the case, there is no current and hence no component damage.

Wrapping components in aluminum foil will have the same effect as wrapping them in an antistatic bag. That being said, most printed circuit boards made today contain diodes. The diodes, which only allow current to flow one way, help guard against the effects of static electricity. They are no replacement for anti-static measures, but do make the circuits a little more rugged.

When adding or removing components from a PC, it is a good idea to wear a static strap grounded to the computer case. It would be a shame to zap a board before getting it into the aluminum foil.


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## cnimbus (Mar 1, 2003)

AcaCandy said:


> Really, then I guess that would make me wonder why my sound card, firewire card, usb port card were all in bubble wrap


Some bubble wrap is anti-static.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Aluminum foil is better protection than the anti-static bags, though they're more than sufficient for the job. I've seen very expensive military electronics that is shipped in aluminum foil a number of times.

I believe I was the one that suggested aluminum foil in the previous thread, and I stand by my recommendation.


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## pezcore55 (Oct 8, 2004)

I am new at this, but I know a couple of things about esd. I am in the military, and i work on electronics, expensive ones. We do not store, or ship, anything in aluminum foil. What you are thinking of are carbon bags, looks kinda like aluminum foil i guess, unless you look at the inside of them and you see that it's black, that's the carbon, and best for storage or shipping of electronics. The number two form is carbon impregnated bags, those are the black, but still see through bags. Not as good as the carbon, but better than the pink poly stuff you used to see all the time. Carbon is the best because it does not generate static, nor does it allow it to pass through it. After all the carbon bags you have the pink poly I just mentioned. It does not generate static when it rubs together, but it won't block static either. Poly, or plastic, is probably the worse thing you can use. Sure it is non conductive, but like someone mentioned with the tape, because it is non conductive it will hold a charge hundreds of times higher than a conductive sort. When the surface gets moist or something, maybe a little humidity, then zap. That's why the worse thing to have on a work surface while repairing a circuit card is a plastic bottle like the one a pepsi would come in. You can think you've never had a problem handling esd sensitive devices, but has your computer ever crashed, shut down, gave you a crazy error message. Esd sucks because it starts by giving intermitten faults where a run, or lead, or chip gets zapped, but it doesn't fully break, just enough so it goes out every now and then, making nearly impossible to trouble shoot. Eventually though, it'll blow it, and you'll replace something because you think it is it's time, but it would of probably lasted a lot longer if it was handled correctly.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

I'm not new at this, and I've been developing Avionics for well over 20 years. I've seen lots of parts in aluminum foil packaging, and they were indeed expensive ones.

There is an advantage to the carbon impregnated bags, that being they have more resistance, so an static discharge accident during the packaging or unpacking won't conduct a static discharge full strength to the device being packaged. This doesn't happen if you use proper handling while packing/unpacking.

Once an electronic device is wrapped in foil, there is probably no form of packaging that will better protect it from static discharge.

I obviously agree about non-conductive packaging of any sort, that's certainly a bad idea!


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## winbob (Aug 2, 2004)

Pezcore,

You apparently were the only one experienced with ESD...but everyone spoke with authority! I found the following sites that have extensive info on ESD and protection products. They explain and de-bunk a lot of what has been said in some responses.

http://www.ece.rochester.edu/~jones/demos/shielding.html

http://www.esdjournal.com/techpapr/ryne/esdbags.htm

http://www.esdsystems.com/whitepapers/wp_esdbags.asp


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

Show me the part where they debunk using foil wrap to protect chips.


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## winbob (Aug 2, 2004)

John,

In the second Link:

Metallized Shielding Bags

Metallized shielding bags have either a metal film embedded into the bag film construction or coated onto an existing layer. This metal film acts as an electrical shield against electrical discharges from the outside of the bag. Depending on the energy and duration of the discharge and the thickness of the metal film, an ESD event is typically spread out over the outer surface of the metal film and if fully enclosed, i.e. the bag is sealed, then the charges current from the ESD event is contained to the outside (outer surface) of the metal film, i.e., providing a region of no electrostatic fields within the bag, thereby protecting the contents within. This effect is known as the Faraday Cage Effect and is commonly used in controlling ESD via metallized shielding bags, conductive bags and the conductive tote box with a cover.

There are two common types of metallized shielding bags varying by construction, the metal-in and the metal-out shielding bags. The metal-in (buried metal) shielding bags are the most common type currently used and are recommended for packaging of ESD sensitive (ESDS) components. They also tend to be superior to the metal-out construction in durability and cost. The metal-out shielding bags are also designed to protect against static induced damage. The metal layer is closer to the outside surface resulting in these bags having lower resistance readings than the metal-in which can be important in some applications.

Moisture Vapor Barrier (MVB) shielding bags are a special subset of metallized bags as they also have the property of EMI-RFI-ESD shielding. This is mainly accomplished by using a much thicker metal layer (about 10x thicker than standard metallized bags), which inhibits the moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) by a factor of over 20 times more compared to ordinary shielding bags.

In general, if you are storing ESDS devices for prolonged periods of time (6 months or more) or if the devices are sensitive to corrosion, than you should package these materials in either an MVB (Moisture Vapor Barrier) bag with a desiccant pack to absorb any moisture that was sealed in or a metal-in shielding bag with a desiccant pack. The difference between an MVB film and a metal-in film is about 1 magnitude in the moisture vapor transmission rate (grams of water/100 in2/24 hours @ 100 oF). Moisture sensitive ESDS devices should only be packaged in an MVB bag.

In both cases, the bags MUST be sealed to properly keep moisture out.

For all other ESDS (ElectroStatic Discharge Sensitive) devices [that are not moisture sensitive], a metal-in, metal-out or a clear dissipative bag can be used. Heat sealing is much preferred, however, you can often fold over the top of the bag and close with an ESDS sticker for adequate protection.

ESD bags should be inspected before reuse by an internal statistical sampling plan as they typically have a finite reuse life.

If an ESD program is laid out very well and is extremely disciplined so threat the threat of ESD events are almost squelched in both the handling and transportation processes, then a good dissipative bag may be sufficient for the storage of most ESD sensitive devices. There are very few actual programs out there that are implemented so effectively.

Most ESD programs use shielding bags because it increases its level of confidence and makes it more foolproof. Shielding bags serve two purposes, preventing the ESD sensitive components sealed within the bag from charging up via field induction and minimizing the damage from a direct contact (outer bag surface) with an ESD event. Some high quality films (ESD shielding bags) can withstand up to a 30 kV discharge.

***************************************************************

The problem with wrapping a chip in foil is that, Electrically the inner surface and the outer surface are IDENTICAL. Therefore there is no real shielding.


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## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

Well, I have been handling and using static sensitive components since they were first commonly available (1970's) and these were unbuffered CMOS chips, easy to destroy with ESD.

They were shipped in foil. Stored in foil. Never lost one due to ESD. Common method of storage was a polystyrene sheet covered in foil, the chip pressed down into the foam through the foil which bonded all pins at the same potential.

Looking in my components now, I see foil bags from major suppliers.

Aluminium foil is a very good (low resistance) conductor. In my view its almost impossible for a potential difference to occur to a device wrapped in it, its all going to be at the same potential .

Hence its good ESD protection in my view and in my experience.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

winbob, if you feel that you can't have shielding with a layer of conductive material, I think I'll stop trying to convince you, obviously it's a lost cause.


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## cbs604 (Sep 17, 2004)

Proper ESD procedures at the packing and unpacking end of the journey are essential, particularly in mid to low humidity areas. 

But the aluminium foil will protect the devices from hostile influences while in transit - arc welders, x-ray machines, etc...

Cheers,
Brodie


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## winbob (Aug 2, 2004)

John,

"obviously it's a lost cause" means your mind is equally closed to any new info. Let's try to get beyond that, OK.

If your chip is wrapped in a completely conductive material, please explain the difference if you zapped it with a static charge when covered or when not. The charge will still 'envelope' the chips.

Foil static bags are layered with conductive and non-conductive materials. The conductive material is there to bleed away the charge to prevent the contents from being exposed to it.

Kiwi said, "Aluminium foil is a very good (low resistance) conductor. In my view its almost impossible for a potential difference to occur to a device wrapped in it, its all going to be at the same potential."

The problem is not the buildup of Potential between the covering's surface and the chip, but from an external source to the inner contents of the shield. So, you are trying to prevent the Potential of, let's say, some foot shuffler on a carpet from coming in direct contact with your chips. A conductive "shield" just isn't going to do that...especially if the package is grounded.

So, the question I have to ask, is....If you were going to be standing out in an open field in a lightning storm, would you want to be wrapped in conductive aluminum foil, OR non-conductive materials?


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

It's not my mind that is closed to new info. The WHOLE purpose of anti-static conductive packaging is to not allow a large voltage differential between pins of the device, NOT to insulate the packaging from static discharge.



> So, the question I have to ask, is....If you were going to be standing out in an open field in a lightning storm, would you want to be wrapped in conductive aluminum foil, OR non-conductive materials?


I'm surprised you don't know the answer to this question! Why do you think that you're advised to stay in your steel car in a thunderstorm, vs. stand out in a field? Hint: It could be that the car will conduct the lightning around you, being a lot lower resistance than your body.

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this topic, because I don't see you're ever going to see the light.


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## jaye944 (Mar 3, 2004)

johnwill said:


> It's not my mind that is closed to new info. The WHOLE purpose of anti-static conductive packaging is to not allow a large voltage differential between pins of the device, NOT to insulate the packaging from static discharge.


thank YOU ! at last something sensible.

I only just joined the thread.

also dont forget that static can and usually is an accumulative damaging efeect, just cos you pick up a chip one day and it works, does not mean you have not damaged it.

in short unless you have AS packaging, transport the stuff in foil


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## jaye944 (Mar 3, 2004)

oh yeah and what mutt heads just said something like alu foil not conductiing electricity ?

like DUH, aluminnum, is metal, metal CONDUCTS electricty.


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## pezcore55 (Oct 8, 2004)

first, i'd like to thank winbob for the links, there was a lot of great information on them. granted, i've only been working on electronics for five years, i've attended two schools, the second one was a micro miniature circuit card repair course, in which we studied esd and its effects quite extensively. kiwiguy said that the components used in the 70s were more susceptible to esd then the one's used today. i learned just the opposite. components are being made smaller and operate at smaller voltages, they are more compact, and less tolerant. however, i'm not an authority on that issue because i was born in the 70s. as for the aluminum foil being a poor conductor, i agree it's not used as a conductor in most cables but it's not really used as an insulator either. i wouldn't stick it in the microwave. about wrapping something in it to equalize the potentials. that'd work if the entire thing remained grounded i guess. the purpose of the protective substance is to block the shock from ever getting to the item wrapped, not to zap both the bag and the item. we want to block the charge, dissipate it on the outside of the bag, not pass it through the bag and through it's contents. let's not mix up grounding ourselves and transporting and storing esds.


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## winbob (Aug 2, 2004)

Pezcore,

Thanks for your response, I'm checking with my friend at 3M in Austin. He was the SW Regional Sales Rep for Anti-static products before moving down to Austin. I'll let you know the outcome of that conversation when he calls me back....whichever way it goes.

As for aluminum conductors...they were used in House Wiring for a time. The problem was not conductivity, but rather corrosion problems when connected to dis-similar metals, such as Copper. The reactive corrosion increased the resistance at the junctions casing OVERHEATING and subsequent fires...ooops. So, aluminums use for wiring got discontinued, and homes had to be rewired or retro-fitted with special connectors.

As for sitting in a car during a lightning storm...think the rubber tires have anything to do with the overall safety factor??? If the car was sitting on bare metal rims, I haul my butt out of there!

I also believe that part of the stay in your car scenario is, 'do not touch anything metal inside the car during the storm'!

Pez, somehow I've got to believe that they did not read the pasted text in Post #19, especially the last paragragh:

"Most ESD programs use shielding bags because it increases its level of confidence and makes it more foolproof. Shielding bags serve two purposes, preventing the ESD sensitive components sealed within the bag from charging up via field induction and minimizing the damage from a direct contact (outer bag surface) with an ESD event. Some high quality films (ESD shielding bags) can withstand up to a 30 kV discharge."


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## Tumbleweed36 (Feb 13, 2004)

Hi,

Winbob is exactly right on with this one. I have done a lot of experience wiring as an electrician and can verify what he is saying. 

Aluminum is not used in houses anymore because of the problem that he stated. A great concern was that even if they put aluminum friendly receptacle boxes in a house with aluminum approved components, residents might go to a hardware store and replace a faulty receptacle box with one that would not be approved aluminum receptical replacements. Therefore, they simply are not used because of the danger of fire.

You need also to know that most power companies still put aluminum wiring service entrances to the house from a transmitter and it is an excellent conductor that is much lighter and cheaper than copper. The service panels (like 200 amp service entrance boxes) are now manufactured to prevent the corrusion that caused the heat build up at the point of contact. The same service entrance terminals can use copper wiring into the house with no deteriation of service points.

Therefore, Aluminum carries electricity ( ESD or other conductivity) quite well so I would never use aluminum foil to wrap any chips or sensitive electronic equipment. The approved ESD bags simplly isolate ESD so it does not harm the components contained in the wrap.

The advanced knowledge of electricity and conductivity guides my thoughts on this issue, therefore Bob, I be with you.

I think the discussion has been excellent for this forum and there were no losers by discussing such an important issue.


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## wolfvgang22 (Oct 11, 2004)

winbob said:


> Pezcore,
> As for sitting in a car during a lightning storm...think the rubber tires have anything to do with the overall safety factor??? If the car was sitting on bare metal rims, I haul my butt out of there!


Pezcore is right on. 
As a physicist, let me tell you that no amount of rubber tires are going to save you from a powerful lightning strike. It would take an extremely thick layer of rubber to insulate you from some of the stronger strikes.

However, the metal of the car body shields you much like aluminum foil around a stick of RAM shields the RAM, conducting the charge to the ground safely. Metal rims would actually be better than rubber tires, since that would reduce arcing. Shielding typically works even better if there is air space between what you are trying to protect and the shielding material.


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## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

In order for any device to be damaged by ESD, a voltage potential has to exist across the device's terminals.

If we are talking static electricity here, then no significant voltage can exist across any pins on a chip, if all the pins are at the same potential, it does not matter if they are at 10,000 volts as long as they are all at the same potential of 10,000 volts.

Only when there is a voltage gradient across the device can the voltage damage the device.

Hence foil works just fine. 
All pins are at the same voltage, foil is a very good conductor.

The above posts assumes the chips will be damaged if any voltage is impressed upon them. Not so, it has to be a difference in voltage (gradient) across the device to cause the damage. Pass a few thousand amps through a foil wrapped chip and you will have a problem. But not at typical ESD currents.

There are other reasons to use special conductive carriers apart from foil, but static discharge is not one of them.


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## winbob (Aug 2, 2004)

To all concerned,

Wait, stop the presses, I've been talking with my 3M friend in Austin, and I have to say that nobody is completely right or completely wrong in this discussion!!!

I'm still digesting what he has told me and reading the 3M Technical Paper that he has linked me to. I had him look through this entire thread while we were on the phone and he had to laugh out loud at a lot of stuff offered up here as facts. 

He teaches Anti-static classes for 3M now...$600 for 2 days!!! He says that most of what he saw here is the same stuff he hears from his students...even if they are EE's. Evidently static electricity is one of the least understood topics around! 8^{

I'll try to consolidate what he said and Post tomorrow.


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## jaye944 (Mar 3, 2004)

so I'll continue to comb my hair and wear nylon stockings when handling my RAM chips then ???


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

In case you wonder if aluminum is a good conductor, just look up the next time you pass under a high tension line. Hint, it's probably aluminum conductors with a steel core for strength. Aluminum is used because it's much lighter than copper, and almost as good a conductor. If copper conductors were used, the towers would have to have closer spacing and/or be much stronger construction.

And for the record, I still haven't seen anything that states that aluminum foil won't protect electronic components. Is there a better packaging? Perhaps, but aluminum foil is WAY better than nothing, and has served me well for more than 30 years in that capacity. It's also something that almost anyone would have handy, which was the original genesis of the question and answer.

For the record, I am an EE, and I've had lots of experience with static sensitive components and equipment. I don't specialize in the topic, but I deal with it on a daily basis.


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## winbob (Aug 2, 2004)

To all those interested,

To make John happy, I'll start out by saying, Yes, conductive material CAN protect static sensitive materials, if it is completely sealing in the component. There are some caveats and limits to the protection. Not as good as a "real" static bag, but as John stated, 'better than nothing at all'.

The key to the ability of a conductive material to protect an enclosed space from static fields is defined by the 4th Corollary of Guass's Law. Don't go to sleep yet! It is rather straight forward...

The "Charge outside a hollow conductor cannot produce an electric field inside the cavity."

When a component is wrapped in a conductor...such as Aluminum Foil, you have created a hollow conductor. Based on the above corollary to Guass's Law, a static charge contacting the exterior surface of the foil (conductor) will spread evenly over the entire Surface of the material. When this distribution is complete, the charge...being equal over the suface, cancels out the electrostatic field in the interior space. So there remains a net Zero charge inside the conductor, as stated by Guass.

There is a caveat here however, and that is, that during the 'distribution' period of the charge, the surface (imagine a sphere) is unevenly charged, and an electrostatic field will travel Through the interior of the package. At this point, the contents is vulnerable.

In order to avoid this exposure, the structure of commercial static bags involves Both conductive and non-conductive layers. Charges on surfaces can bleed off more effectively and quickly. Multi-layered bags severely limit penetration of electrostatic fields into/through the bag. Capacitive effects of the conductive and insulation layers help protect the bags' contents.

Another caveat is that if the potential differential (voltage) is great enough the protective material will break through and the protection fails. A commercial anti-static bag's protection will exceed 30,000 volts. Can't speak to the failure threshhold of aluminum foil. A quick shuffle across a carpet can charge you up to a 5000+ volt potential !!!

The most important procedural step that was stressed by my 3M friend was to always wear a static wrist strap or be otherwise grounded before you handle and load components into the protective device....whatever that device is. If the Bag and the component are at different Potentials, then the actof inserting it into the bag could prove fatal!

The next most important point was to use a package that is actually designed for electrostatic protection....preferably by 3M (yes that is a plug).

To access the 3M White Paper that is used as a teaching aid in the 'for fee' class mentioned use this LINK:

http://www.static-planet.com/pdfs/electric_fields.pdf

Within this document please be sure to reference Figures 1 and 3, to see the movement of charges and fields as refered to above. If you can find the time to read the entire document, it is quite enlightening.


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## kiwiguy (Aug 17, 2003)

Thanks. I will continue to use foil based on that. And based on 30+ years of experience...

The levels of ESD that are encountered by most "home users" are nothing like the levels used to test the packaging, the current levels are usually very low. Hence foil works just fine.

And for the record, I am also EE based, also Radio/TV/Electronics and other disciplines.

Not mentioned above is the use of anti-static working mats. High carbon material that prevents static build-up and keeps the anti-static strap, the equipment and the person all at the same potential


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## winbob (Aug 2, 2004)

Kiwi,

We all ought to have a reunion...I split my major EE/IE. Didn't really practice the art though. I went to work for IBM and they trained me for everything they wanted me to know.


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## gotrootdude (Feb 19, 2003)

I fill a jar with water, submerge the part, seal the jar, then ship it and let the person on the other end dry it out..


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## rickmac (Oct 8, 2004)

The real question here is: Do all zip-lock/sandwich bags conduct static electricity? BW, many memory chips come from the manufacturer in plastic packages, so obviously not all plastic conducts static electricity.


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## JohnWill (Oct 19, 2002)

A package doesn't necessarily "contain" static. What happens with non-conductive plastic is that it allows static charges to build up, similar to shiffling across the rug with leather shoes on a dry day. Conductive packaging bleeds any dangerous static charge before you handle the packaged part.


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