Create static charge using solid state device.

Hi,
I want to create a static charge like a "Van De Graaff" generator but using solid state components e.g. no moving parts, anyone any ideas and even better is there something out there I can buy?

Thanks

How about the piezo crystal out of a gas lighter?

Jim GM3ZMA

How would that work?

How would that work? (be gentle with me, I'm not that advanced)

piezo crystal is summing that when subjected to force will generate a voltage across it. When subjuected to an electric field it physically flex's

However the charge generated is tiny. Van de graph is nice and big (if i remember correctly)

So no good then?

OK, thats why I didn't understand why it was going to produce static elctricity in large qty.

Anyone else got any better ideas?

Ive sen thingis caled "ionizers" somware.You conect a batery to it and on the 3rd terminal you get the charge out.

Ionizers use a voltage multiplier consisting of high voltage diodes and capacitors. You need a fairly high voltage to feed it to be practical. If you're starting from battery voltage, you will need an inverter and transformer. Look for "high voltage voltage multiplier" on any search engine and you should find plenty of examples. They're all pretty similar.

The first thing to understand is that high voltage diodes are not only a bit slow to switch on/off, but they can be damaged by high speed voltage changes across their terminals. Thus only low frequencies, not square waves (due to high speed voltage changes), are generally used.