Electrical Properties of an Ultralight Conductive Carbon Nanotube/Polymer Composite Foam Upon Compression

Abstract

The variations of electrical property of an ultralight conductive carbon nanotube/polymer composite foam upon compression were investigated. It was found the sharp increase of volume resistivity and strain was generated by the same microstructural change, i.e., the damage of foam struts. Even the strain was increased to as high as 50%, the ultimate resistivity remained stable. Volume resistivity of the foam kept almost changeless under an invariant external mechanical field. The stable microstructure of the conductive network formed by contact of CNTs and the high endurance of samples' core regions endow the ultralight conductive foam with much stable electrical properties.