The weight of the literature supports the view that surface chemistry and electron transfer are fundamental drivers of the triboelectric effect, though competing mechanisms like material transfer and bond scission also play a role in specific polymer systems.
Multiple studies demonstrate that surface functionalization, molecular orbitals, and electron affinities dictate contact electrification and charge transfer behavior across solid-liquid and solid-solid interfaces. While alternative mechanisms such as material transfer via bond scission have been highlighted in specific polymer systems (e.g., Paper 4), the vast majority of recent empirical and theoretical papers consistently emphasize surface chemistry and electron transfer as foundational to the triboelectric effect.