Before You Buy: Anti Static vs. Static Shielding Bags

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With regards to flexible packaging design, an “anti static” bag is any bag made with anti static polymers so that when it rubs or touches other materials it does not create static. Essentially, an anti static bag prevents itself from holding charge. Since it is not holding a charge, it cannot release charge as electrostatic discharges (ESD) when it is laying on a grounded surface.

The term “anti static” refers to the upper static dissipative range- usually defined as between 1 x 1010 and less than 1 x 1012 ohms / square. Polyethylene and polyesters used in bags for static control are always in this “anti static” range.

Commonly anti static bags are tinted (usually pink or blue) and made of a single layer of polyethylene (PE) with static dissipative coatings sputtered onto them. These bags do not stop ESD, but they prevent the build-up of static charges on their surfaces that precedes ESD.

Whether an anti static bag is “static shielding” depends upon whether it incorporates conductive materials, like aluminum or carbon, into its design.

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A static shielding bag presents a conductive barrier to ESD in addition to allowing charges to dissipate off it.

“Static Shielding” as a term usually refers to bags that use aluminum. This gives the bags a silver transparent sheen.

Elimstat Shielding Bags are “Metal-In” – made with the conductive aluminum layer buried between two antistatic layers. Bags can also be constructed “metal-out”. Polyester with a thin layer of aluminum sputtered onto its surface is laminated to anti-static polyethylene. The resulting structure can be used to make a bag that forms a Faraday cage around ESD sensitive electronics and is heat sealable. The material is translucent allowing the contents of the packaging, including barcodes, to be read through the bag.

The problematic terminology around anti-static, static-shielding, and static dissipative bags creates confusion among buyers. The lack of understanding of what each means might lead to choosing the wrong packaging for our products, resulting in failures or damages. It is critical to know that these terms are not the same and should not be observed as such.

Static shielding bags have anti-static properties that stop the static electricity buildup and protect from electrostatic discharge (ESD). Static shielding bags consist of multi-layer materials that create a Faraday cage capable of protecting components from ESD. However, they should not be confused with what we call anti-static bags. Unlike anti-static packaging, static shielding bags safeguard components both inside and outside the bag.

The right packaging choice will depend on your specific needs and purposes. Electronic components such as circuit boards, sound cards, and hard drives must be packaged in bags made of static shielding material. On the other hand, you may consider anti-static poly bags when you are not shipping or storing electronic items prone to damage by static.

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