A novel temperature-dependent percolation model for the electrical conductivity and piezoresistive sensitivity of carbon nanotube-filled nanocomposites

Abstract

Monte Carlo simulation is paired with a percolation model to analytically investigate the temperature effect and carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersion state on the temperature-dependent piezoresistive conductive network nanocomposite. The charge transport switch from electrical tunneling to elevated temperature quantum tunneling is studied based on a temperature-dependent tunneling model. The percolation network theory searches for the shortest distance of any CNT line segments scattered in the representative volume element to form possible interconnections and tunneling resistance approach evaluates resistivity by recognizing the conductive percolating paths. The effect of different factors such as the height of barrier potential, CNT length, degree of orientation and the cutoff distance on the resistance of the nanocomposite which is mainly caused by the inter-tube tunneling resistance is studied through analytical parametric studies. It is shown that the strain sensitivity of reinforced nanocomposite is increased as a result of the uniform dispersion of short aligned CNTs.