# Why does plastic cling wrap stick to itself? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 7, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-plastic-cling-wrap-stick-to-itself/395002 "2007-03-07T21:18:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-plastic-cling-wrap-stick-to-itself/395002/1 "2007-03-07T21:18:15Z")
I got curious as to why plastic cling wrap sticks to itself. I mean the clear plastic stuff that people use to wrap leftover food and cover dishes. I thought it must be static electricity but I found this: [Re: Hi, I really need to know the way SARAN WRAP/CLING WRAP works, thank you](http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/mar98/890527087.Ph.r.html) Quote: "Scientists had to find some way to make PVdC and LDPE cling to itself and discovered that certain other LOW molecular weight polymers that weren’t quite compatable with the host would do the trick. The two most commonly used today are polyisobutylene and poly[ethylene-vinylacetate] or PIB and EVA, for short. Unlike magnetism, in which like poles repel each other, in adhesive chemistry like materials attract each other. When the low molecular weight additives are put into a high molecular weight host of different composition, they tend to not mix [they form seperate phases]. When the film of PVdC or LDPE contacts itself, the PIB or EVA in the one film seeks out and associates with PIB or EVA in the second film surface. Since the additives are low in molecular weight, they are much more mobile than the host polymer. Higher mobility leads directly to the rapid development of an association that is perceived as ‘cling’." The gist is that chemical affinity, not static electricity, is the answer. Did a search of GQ and found this: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=397155&highlight=plastic+wrap](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=397155&highlight=plastic+wrap) So Dopers other than myself also think static electricity is the culprit. Your comments, please. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2007, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-plastic-cling-wrap-stick-to-itself/395002/2 "2007-03-08T15:31:35Z")
_bump_ Is it possible that The Teeming Millions have nothing to say about this? I’ve handled a lot of plastic wrap of several different brands during the past week. I’ve grown increasingly certain that static electricity accounts for most of the clinginess of plastic wrap. It doesn’t just stick to itself; it sticks to furniture and human skin. When it sticks to my skin it _feels_ like static electricity. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2007, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-plastic-cling-wrap-stick-to-itself/395002/3 "2007-03-08T15:40:04Z")
same thing with my skin. Not only does it feel like there’s a sort of charge accumulating near my hand, but the wrap seems to cling at distance of at least a centimeter if not more – much more room than a chemical reacion. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2007, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-plastic-cling-wrap-stick-to-itself/395002/4 "2007-03-08T17:22:00Z")
Perhaps it’s both. The static works to bring it closer, and when it touches, the chemical affinity becomes a much stronger force.