triboelectric effect

The triboelectric effect occurs when certain materials come into contact and then separate, causing electrons to transfer from one material to the other. This transfer results in one material becoming positively charged and the other negatively charged, creating static electricity. The effect depends on the materials' properties and their tendency to gain or lose electrons. It’s why rubbing a balloon on your hair makes the balloon stick to a surface or why static shocks happen. Essentially, it’s a transfer of electrical charge through friction, leading to phenomena we can observe as static electricity.