			Home About us Contact

Electrical Percolation Threshold (electrical + percolation_threshold)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Polymers and Materials Science	100%

Selected Abstracts

Electrical Percolation Behavior in Silver Nanowire,Polystyrene Composites: Simulation and Experiment

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 16 2010
Sadie I. White
Abstract The design and preparation of isotropic silver nanowire-polystyrene composites is described, in which the nanowires have finite L/D (< 35) and narrow L/D distribution. These model composites allow the L/D dependence of the electrical percolation threshold, ,c, to be isolated for finite- L/D particles. Experimental ,c values decrease with increasing L/D, as predicted qualitatively by analytical percolation models. However, quantitative agreement between experimental data and both soft-core and core,shell analytical models is not achieved, because both models are strictly accurate only in the infinite- L/D limit. To address this analytical limitation, a soft-core simulation method to calculate ,c and network conductivity for cylinders with finite L/D are developed. Our simulated ,c results agree strongly with our experimental data, suggesting i) that the infinite-aspect-ratio assumption cannot safely be made for experimental networks of particles with L/D < 35 and ii) in predicting ,c, the soft-core model makes a less significant assumption than the infinite- L/D models do. The demonstrated capability of the simulations to predict ,c in the finite- L/D regime will allow researchers to optimize the electrical properties of polymer nanocomposites of finite- L/D particles. [source]

Glass Fibers with Carbon Nanotube Networks as Multifunctional Sensors

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 12 2010
Shang-lin Gao
Abstract A simple approach to deposit multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) networks onto glass fiber surfaces achieving semiconductive MWNT,glass fibers is reported, along with application of fiber/polymer interphases as in-situ multifunctional sensors. This approach demonstrates for the first time that the techniques of conducting electrical resistance measurements could be applicable to glass fibers for in situ sensing of strain and damage; the techniques were previously limited to conductive and semiconductive materials. The electrical properties of the single MWNT,glass fiber and the "unidirectional" fiber/epoxy composite show linear or nonlinear stress/strain, temperature, and relative humidity dependencies, which are capable of detecting piezoresistive effects as well as the local glass transition temperature. The unidirectional composites containing MWNT,glass fibers exhibit ultrahigh anisotropic electrical properties and an ultralow electrical percolation threshold. Based on this approach, the glass fiber,the most widely used reinforcement in composites globally,along with the surface electrical conductivity of MWNTs will stimulate and realize a broad range of multifunctional applications. [source]

Glass Transition Temperature Depression at the Percolation Threshold in Carbon Nanotube,Epoxy Resin and Polypyrrole,Epoxy Resin Composites

MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS, Issue 5 2005
Sophie Barrau
Abstract Summary: The glass transition temperatures of conducting composites, obtained by blending carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or polypyrrole (PPy) particles with epoxy resin, were investigated by using both differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamical mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). For both composites, dc and ac conductivity measurements revealed an electrical percolation threshold at which the glass transition temperature and mechanical modulus of the composites pass through a minimum. DC conductivity, ,dc, as a function of the conducting filler concentration of the CNT, (,) and PPy, (,) epoxy resin composites. [source]

Temperature dependence of electrical resistivity in carbon nanofiber/unsaturated polyester nanocomposites

POLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 7 2008
Toshiaki Natsuki
This article described the temperature dependence of electrical resistivity for carbon nanofiber (CNF)/unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) nanocomposites prepared by a solvent evaporation method. It was found that the CNF/UPR nanocomposites had quite low electrical percolation threshold due to CNFs having a large aspect ratio and being well dispersed into the UPR matrix. A sharp decrease in the electrical resistivity was observed at about 1 wt% CNF content. The influence of CNF content on the electrical resistivity was investigated as a function of temperature in detail. The nanocomposites showed a positive temperature coefficient effect for the resistivity, and had a strong temperature dependence near the percolation threshold. When the number of thermal cycles was increased, the electrical resistivity decreased and had a weak temperature dependence, especially in the case of melting temperature. Moreover, the size influences of CNFs on the electrical properties of nanocomposites were analyzed and discussed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers [source]

Partially miscible poly(lactic acid)- blend -poly(propylene carbonate) filled with carbon black as conductive polymer composite

POLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 9 2008
Wang Ning
Abstract BACKGROUND: Conductive polymer composites (CPCs) can be obtained by filling polymer matrices with electrically conductive particles, and have a wide variety of potential applications. In the work reported, the biodegradable polymer poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as a partially miscible blend with poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) was used as a polymer matrix. Carbon black (CB) was used as the conducting filler. RESULTS: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed interactions between matrix and CB filler; this interaction was stronger in PPC- blend -CB than in PLA- blend -CB composites. A rheology study showed that low-viscosity PPC could improve the fluidity of the CPCs, but decrease that of CB. With increasing CB content, the enforcement effect, storage modulus and glass transition temperature increased, but the elongation at break decreased. CPCs exhibited the lowest electrical percolation thresholds of 1.39 vol.% CB when the content of PPC in PLA- blend -PPC was 40 wt%. The conductivity of CPCs containing 5.33 vol.% CB and 40 wt% PPC reached 1.57 S cm,1. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that CB exhibits a preference for dispersion in the low-viscosity phase (PPC) of the multiphase matrix. CONCLUSION: In the presence of CB, partially miscible PLA- blend -PPC could form multi-percolation CPCs. Moreover, the combination of PLA and PPC with CB broadens novel application of both renewable polymers and CPCs. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry [source]