Simulation of the electrical conductivity of two-dimensional films with aligned rod-like conductive fillers: Effect of the filler length dispersity

Abstract

Using Monte Carlo simulation, we studied the electrical conductivity of two-dimensional films. The films consisted of a poorly conductive host matrix and highly conductive rod-like fillers (rods). The rods were of various lengths fitting a log-normal distribution. They could be aligned along a direction. Special attention was paid to films having completely aligned rods. The impact of length dispersity and the extent of rod alignment on the insulator-to-conductor phase transition were studied. The greater the length dispersity the smaller the critical concentration. The anisotropy of the electrical conductivity was more pronounced in the vicinity of the phase transition. A finite size effect was found to be significant only in the vicinity of the phase transition.