Micromechanics Modeling of Electrical Conductivity for Polymer Nanocomposites by Network Portion, Interphase Depth, Tunneling Properties and Wettability of Filler by Polymer Media

Abstract

This study presents a micromechanics model for conductivity of polymer nanocomposites comprising carbon nanotubes (CNT) (PCNT) established by expanded Takayanagi equation. The advanced model presumes the roles of CNT nets, interphase, electron tunneling and wettability of particles by polymer media in the conductivity. The effective filler concentration and percolation onset reflect the contribution of interphase to networks. Moreover, the model properly studies the tunneling properties and wettability based on the available equations. The model’s predictions for some samples are linked to the experimental data. Furthermore, the established model estimates the parameters’ impacts on the conductivity. All forecasts fairly agree with the empirical data of specimens approving the recommended model. A thick interphase, poor CNT curliness, thin CNT, high CNT conduction and large networks improve the conductivity. Furthermore, the conductivity expressively increases to 16 S/m at the largest tunneling diameter (d=30 nm) and the smallest tunneling distance (λ=3 nm), but an insulated sample is observed at λ>5 nm. Therefore, the tunneling dimensions largely manipulate the nanocomposite’s conductivity.