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Q:
what is the best material to use as a belt for a Van De Graaff?
- todd (age 16)
stevensville, ont, canada
A:
Todd -
The book "Homemade Lightning" by R. A. Ford (copyright 2002, McGraw-Hill) has a
lot
of information about constructing things like Van De Graaff generators.
Here is what Mr. Ford has to say about belt materials:
" Replacement belts of neoprene are available at reasonable cost
and can have a life-time of up to about 400 hours. Gum rubber belts
have a much shorter lifetime. The material should be slightly
stretchable, have a high dielectric constant and density, and be
resistant to ozone. Neoprene has these properties. "
-Tamara
(published on 10/22/2007)
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