Theoretical highest electric charge?

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SUMMARY

The theoretical highest electric charge for an object without breaking it is contingent upon the material's properties and the nature of the charge. Excess positive charge can be sustained until it reaches a critical point where positive ions begin to escape or the object undergoes catastrophic failure. Traditional methods for generating high voltages, such as those used in vacuum tubes, can achieve several million volts but are limited by phenomena like corona discharge. An advanced approach utilizing concentric Faraday cages can produce significantly higher impulse voltages, overcoming these limitations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of static electricity and charged particles
  • Familiarity with Faraday cages and their applications
  • Knowledge of voltage generation techniques in electrical engineering
  • Basic principles of material science related to electrical conductivity
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  • Research the principles of static electricity and charge accumulation
  • Explore the design and function of Faraday cages in high-voltage applications
  • Study advanced voltage generation techniques, including impulse methods
  • Investigate the material properties that influence charge retention and breakdown
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Electrical engineers, physicists, materials scientists, and anyone interested in high-voltage applications and the limits of electrical charge in materials.

Low-Q
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What is the theoretical highest electric charge possible for an object wihout breaking it?

What about charging a piece of PVC to trillions of volt, or trillions times that, or even more. Is it a limit how high the charge can be?

Vidar
 
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Low-Q said:
What is the theoretical highest electric charge possible for an object wihout breaking it?

What about charging a piece of PVC to trillions of volt, or trillions times that, or even more. Is it a limit how high the charge can be?

Vidar


You are talking about static electrical charges, right? This is an excess of charged particles of one sign, either positive or negative. It would depend strongly on the material. If there was a great enough excess of electrons then the electrons would fly off of the object, so I think it would have to be an excess of positive charge. Once this charge gets high enough either positive ions begin to fly off into space or the object explodes.
 
Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington D. C.
Received 8 October 1930; published in the issue dated November 1930
Ordinary methods for the production of high voltages for application to vacuum-tubes are satisfactory up to several million volts, but are subject to definite limitation due to corona or spark-over from the high-voltage terminal toward ground. A system of successive concentric Faraday cages, with the outermost cage grounded, is not so limited. An impulse-method for the production of extremely high voltages using such a system of Faraday cages is described. A system of (2n+2) cages gives an impulse-voltage slightly less than nV on the innermost cage.
http://prola.aps.org/abstract/PR/v36/i10/p1576_1
 

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