Study of electret effect of rat skin by thermally stimulated discharge analysis

The thermally stimulated discharge (TSD) spectra of three types of rat skin treated and untreated by negative polypropylene (PP) electret were measured. The natural rat skin shows an excellent electret effect due to the lamellar lipid structure, reticular structure of collagen and protein space structure related hydrogen bond network and non-covalent bond system. Hydration intensifies the skin electret effect. Electret could change the lamellar lipid structure and charge state of skin surface by alteration of dipolar orientation, intermolecular non-covalent action and protein transformation from α helix to β sheet. The regulation of skin electret effect depends on tightly bound water. ► One dipole peak and two space charge peaks appear in TSD current spectra of rat skin. ► Hydration could intensify the skin electret effect. ► Negative electret regulates the skin electret effect by altering of SC space structure. ► The regulation effect of the electret depends only on the tightly bound water in skin.