Applied Mathematics and Mechanics >
Modification of Maxwell model for conductivity prediction of carbon nanotubes-filled polymer composites with tunneling effect
Received date: 2024-06-26
Revised date: 2024-12-06
Online published: 2025-01-06
Supported by
Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11972203 and 11572162), the Science and Technology Innovation 2025 Major Project of Ningbo City of China (No. 2022Z209), and Ningbo Key Technology Breakthrough Plan Project of “Science and Technology Innovation Yongjiang 2035” (No. 2024Z256)
Copyright
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have garnered great attention in recent years due to their outstanding electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. The incorporation of small amounts of CNTs in polymers can substantially improve the sensitivity of the polymer's electrical conductivity. This paper presents a modified Maxwell model to evaluate the electrical conductivity of CNTs-filled polymer composites by introducing a transition zone to account for the tunneling effect. In this modified Maxwell model, the CNTs-filled polymer composite is modeled as a three-phase composite, consisting of a matrix (polymer), inclusions (CNTs), and a transition zone (tunneling zone). The effective electrical conductivity (EEC) of the composite is calculated based on the volume fractions and electrical conductivities of the matrix, inclusions, and transition zone. The model's validity is confirmed through the use of available test data, which demonstrates its capability to accurately capture the nonlinear conductivity behavior observed in CNTs-polymer composites. This study offers valuable insights into the design of high-performance conductive polymer nanocomposites, and enhances the understanding of electrical conduction mechanisms in CNT-dispersed polymer composites.
Key words： carbon nanotube (CNT); polymer; composite; electrical conductivity; tunneling; Maxwell model
Jue ZHU, Longyuan LI, Ningtao ZHU . Modification of Maxwell model for conductivity prediction of carbon nanotubes-filled polymer composites with tunneling effect[J]. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, 2025 , 46(1) : 25 -36 . DOI: 10.1007/s10483-025-3210-9
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