Can I use dryer sheets, or anti-static spray on polyurethane foam to reduce static between the foam and the polypropylene container the foam is in? I need to ship some ESD sensitive electronics overseas by air freight. The most sensitive electronics are in ESD bags, then placed in custom-cut holes in the foam. But it isn't feasible to enclose all the electronics in ESD bags. I wanted to further reduce static by using anti-static foam, but that isn't available in my area and I would have to wait weeks to have it delivered. So do you a reasonable substitute could be lining the inside of the container with anti-static dryer sheets (then putting in the foam), or spraying the polyurethane foam with anti-static spray (e.g. Downy Wrinkle Releaser)?
Electronic – When shipping electronic components, can I reduce static by using dryer sheets or sprays
antistaticesdstaticstatic-electricity
Related Solutions
As anti-static foam isn't reusable, if the laptop has no exposed electrical connections, and the threat you're guarding against is ESD damage to the laptop, and the cost of the foam is small compared to that of the laptop, then use the most conductive foam you can find, namely cushion grade conductive foam.
(I feel faintly embarrassed posting this. You should really get credit for this answer.)
Silvery anti-static bags are (should be) conductive, so they act as a Faraday's cage against ESD coming from outside the bag, i.e. they protect from the ESD events coming from outside the bag. If the electronics in the bag rubs against something inside the bag that can build-up static charges, the bag won't protect it.
Therefore you should ensure that whatever is inside the bag, especially if it could move and rub against the electronics, doesn't build up charges. For example, the foam you use, if it is in contact with the electronics inside the silvery bag, should either be somewhat conductive or static-dissipative, i.e. a material that doesn't allow charge to build up (that pink plastic that is sometimes used to wrap electronic circuitry and components is usually a static-dissipative material).
Dave Jones (Author of EEVblog) has made a couple of videos about anti-static stuff that you may find relevant: EEVblog #3, EEVblog #247 and EEVblog #250.
Regarding your 3rd point, probably you cannot do anything to protect your circuit. The circuit must self-protect itself, i.e. it should have enough protection circuitry built-in. This is because customs officers could do pretty anything to the thing they are inspecting, short of breaking them mechanically (they even could do that in some countries, if they suspect the thing may contain dangerous or illegal materials).
If you are unlucky enough, officers will reach for the circuit board and will examine it thoroughly holding it in their hands and handling it brashly (if they don't think it's dangerous, they won't lose time with careful handling). In a dry day and with the right combination of statics-generating surfaces your circuit could be well zapped to death, without suitable ESD protection built-in.
EDIT (prompted by a comment)
Just a simple example: you mention wires coming out of the enclosure. If those wires are directly connected to inputs or outputs of chips/components that are ESD-sensitive, those connection must be protected by adding ESD-protection circuitry on the board. A simple protection measure is to put backwards connected diodes from the pin to be protected to the power rails, maybe adding a current-limiting resistor in series. Something like this:
There are more advanced strategies as well. There are even dedicated ICs whose only purpose is to protect the I/O pins of other chips/boards. You may be interested in these documents:
Best Answer
Think of it another way - how impressed will your customers be when they see some packaging that clearly doesn't look right even though you meticulously ensured that the "method" you used was perfect.
So they phone you up and say - hey this wasn't packaged up in anti-static stuff, how can you explain that. So, you spend ten minutes on the phone telling them what you did. Hey guess what, they think you are full of BS!!
The whole idea seems wrong to me. Use the correct stuff or expect disillusioned customers.