Effect of nanotube alignment on percolation conductivity in carbon nanotube/polymer composites

TLDR

Percolation conductivity of a stick network depends on alignment and concentration. The study investigates the critical power‑law dependence of conductivity on alignment and concentration and examines the alignment threshold in detail. The authors conduct experiments on single‑wall carbon nanotube composites and support the findings with Monte Carlo simulations. Conductivity follows a critical power‑law, with the highest values occurring for slightly aligned sticks rather than isotropic ones, and these results are broadly applicable to anisotropic percolating networks.

Abstract

Percolation conductivity of a stick network depends on alignment as well as concentration. We show that both dependences exhibit critical (power-law) behavior, and study the alignment threshold in detail. The highest conductivity occurs for slightly aligned, rather than isotropic, sticks. Experiments on single wall carbon nanotube composites are supported by Monte Carlo simulations. These results should be broadly applicable to percolating networks of anisotropic conductors.