Effective Conductivity of Carbon-Nanotube-Filled Systems by Interfacial Conductivity to Optimize Breast Cancer Cell Sensors.

Abstract

Interfacial conductivity and “Lc”, i.e., the least carbon-nanotube (CNT) length required for the operative transfer of CNT conductivity to the insulated medium, were used to establish the most effective CNT concentration and portion of CNTs needed for a network structure in polymer CNT nanocomposites (PCNT). The mentioned parameters and tunneling effect define the effective conductivity of PCNT. The impact of the parameters on the beginning of percolation, the net concentration, and the effective conductivity of PCNT was investigated and the outputs were explained. Moreover, the calculations of the beginning of percolation and the conductivity demonstrate that the experimental results and the developed equations are in acceptable agreement. A small “Lc” and high interfacial conductivity affect the beginning of percolation, the fraction of networked CNTs, and the effective conductivity. Additionally, a low tunneling resistivity, a wide contact diameter, and small tunnels produce a highly effective conductivity. The developed model can be used to optimize breast cancer cell sensors.