{
  "abstract": "Tribocharging of granular materials is a widespread phenomenon ranging from volcanic eruptions and dust storms to pharmaceutical processing, yet its underlying mechanism remains elusive. Recent thermoelectric models have provided a quantitative framework for triboelectric charge transfer, but they have difficulty accounting for charging between identical materials. In this Letter, we propose a theory of granular tribocharging based on the interplay between particle geometry and thermoelectric response. Collision-induced frictional heating produces a size-dependent temperature asymmetry between particles, generating a thermoelectric voltage that drives charge transfer. The sign of the Seebeck coefficient determines the charging polarity, while particle size and thermal properties set its magnitude. Our multi-collision theory explains the experimentally observed size- and material-dependent reversal of charging polarity, as in quartz and nylon.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2610.36757",
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Donggeun Kang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ji-Ho Mun"
    },
    {
      "name": "Seungil Baek"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jaeuk Seo"
    },
    {
      "name": "Sirichok Jungthawan"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yong Woon Kim"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yong-Hyun Kim"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bzx59xn4ahx8a.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2610.36757",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "bzx59xn4ahx8a",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.36757",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "cond-mat.mtrl-sci"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "cond-mat.soft"
    ],
    [
      "arxiv",
      "cond-mat.stat-mech"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2204|Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7224083219",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.36757",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-27",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bzx59xn4ahx8a.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:35:50Z",
      "native_id": "2610.36757",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.36757"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:cond-mat.mtrl-sci",
      "subfield": "condensed-matter"
    },
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:cond-mat.stat-mech",
      "subfield": "statistical-nonlinear"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Tribocharging of Granular Materials Dictated by Geometric and Thermoelectric Effects",
  "title_text": "Tribocharging of Granular Materials Dictated by Geometric and Thermoelectric Effects",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:35:50Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bzx59xn4ahx8a",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}