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I have synthesized $\ce{TiO2}$ nanoparticles via sol-gel method and I need to calcine it at elevated temperatures for the crystal phases formation. The powder is very highly charged and not only difficult to work with but I also lose significant amounts as it gets repelled by quartz glass and other tools and fly all over the places.

Is there a way that I can alleviate the repulsive forces between the powder and the tools that I use?

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The best way I've found is to use an anti-static gun (sold by chemical companies such as Sigma-Aldrich).

If this isn't available, taking gloves off helps enormously, as the gloves can easily become 'static' in the same way as rubbing a balloon against some fabric. Gently tapping the flask against a metal object also helps, as the metal 'takes' the static away.

I have also known chemists to wear the same anti-static/grounding bracelets used by people who work with computers so as not to damage the electrics internally, however for a bench-chemist only occasionally working with fine powders, this would probably be over kill.

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  • $\begingroup$ I don't want to take the gloves off because my sample is doped with fluoride but the anti-static gun is what I should look for. $\endgroup$
    – user40014
    Oct 18, 2015 at 20:09

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