CHARACTERIZATION OF ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF POLYMERS FOR CONDUCTIVE NANO-COMPOSITES

摘要

Properties of various conductive nano-composites are dominated by quantum-level effects acrosssmall barriers created by the matrix material. The properties of the matrix clearly have a vitalinfluence on the resultant behavior of the material. However, the quantification of the relevantmatrix properties at the quantum level is difficult to measure using current techniques. Thispaper reports on recent work to simplify the process of characterizing the electrical properties ofvarious polymers at this length scale using a nano-indenter with a conductive tip.A brief overview of the physical theory behind the technique is presented, along withpreliminary experimental results. Though the technique shows significant sensitivity to dataanalysis procedures, the measured values agree reasonably well with those available in theliterature. The methodology provides key insights into the behavior of conductive nanocompositesof various types.