Rain's Hidden Charge: A New Reason for Corrosion Woes A recent study published by researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany has shed new light on an often overlooked phenomenon called "slide electrification.
" When a raindrop slides across an insulating surface, it strips charge from that surface and leaves behind an opposing charge.
This is no trivial occurrence – voltages of up to 9,000 volts have been measured at the micro level. The electrical charge generated by raindrops can be devastating for macro structures like cars and buildings.