Conductivity and Permittivity of CNT-Epoxy Nanocomposites with Filler Concentrations in the Neighborhood of Percolation Threshold

This study aims to investigate the effect of the incorporation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the electrical conductivity and permittivity of nanocomposites near the percolation threshold. The study is performed by tuning the concentration of CNT nanoparticles. This modifies the interparticle distance that governs the charge transfer mechanism between nanotubes. The percolation threshold of a composite is defined as the filler concentration at which the formation of a continuous conductive pathway through the matrix is initiated, at this critical concentration, the composite transitions from an insulating to a conducting material. The percolation threshold of a MWCNT -filled epoxy composite is determined, and the conductivity and permittivity of the composites with filler concentrations in the vicinity of the threshold are investigated.