Calculation of the Electrical Conductivity of Polymer Nanocomposites Assuming the Interphase Layer Surrounding Carbon Nanotubes

The interphase layer surrounding nanoparticles can reflect the tunneling effect as the main mechanism of charge transferring in polymer/carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposites (PCNT). In this paper, the percolation threshold, effective volume fraction of CNT, and the portion of percolated filler after percolation are expressed by interphase and CNT waviness. Moreover, the developed terms are used to suggest the influences of CNT dimensions, interphase thickness, and waviness on the electrical conductivity of PCNT by conventional and developed models. Thin and long CNT, thick interphase, and low waviness obtain a high fraction of percolated CNT. However, the highest level of effective filler fraction is only calculated by the thinnest CNT and the thickest interphase. Furthermore, both models show that the thinnest and the longest CNT as well as the thickest interphase and the least CNT waviness cause the highest conductivity in PCNT, because they positively contribute to the formation and properties of the conductive network.