Percolation and Transport Properties in The Mechanically Deformed Composites Filled with Carbon Nanotubes

• Main Authors: Artyom Plyushch, Dmitry Lyakhov, Mantas Šimėnas, Dzmitry Bychanok, Jan Macutkevič, Dominik Michels, Jūras Banys, Patrizia Lamberti, Polina Kuzhir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-02-01
• Series: Applied Sciences
• Subjects: monte carlo simulations; percolation; conductivity; carbon nanotubes composite
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/4/1315
• ISSN: 2076-3417

The conductivity and percolation concentration of the composite material filled with randomly distributed carbon nanotubes were simulated as a function of the mechanical deformation. Nanotubes were modelled as the hard-core ellipsoids of revolution with high aspect ratio. The evident anisotropy was observed in the percolation threshold and conductivity. The minimal mean values of the percolation of 4.6 vol. % and maximal conductivity of 0.74 S/m were found for the isotropic composite. Being slightly aligned, the composite demonstrates lower percolation concentration and conductivity along the orientation of the nanotubes compared to the perpendicular arrangement.