The robustness of the emergent scaling property of random<i>RC</i>network models of complex materials

Abstract

The so-called 'universal dielectric response' of composite materials can be reproduced as a power-law emergent response (PLER) of electrical network models. Results are presented for investigations demonstrating the robustness of the PLER of random electrical networks in order to evaluate the usefulness of such models in simulating real composite materials with microstructural disorder. The effect of imposed microstructures has been investigated, looking at both the correlation length and the network size. It is shown that the exact microstructural details may be reasonably omitted, so long as we take care that the general features of the structures, such as their relative smallest and largest scales, are represented.