Influence of fiber aspect ratio and orientation on the dielectric properties of polymer-based nanocomposites

摘要

The addition of carbon nanotubes (CNT) to a polymeric matrix affects its mechanical and electrical properties. The changes can be significant even at small volume fractions of the reinforcement. The electrical properties are particularly sensitive to the CNT oncentration. It is believed that the origin of this effect is the formation of a network of highly conductive CNTs forming preferential pathways for the electrical current to flow through. The CNT concentration,aspect ratio (AR), and dispersion are expected to affect the material response [1–4]. Because of the complexity of the problem and the lack of fundamental understanding on the underlying phenomena, computer simulations can provide useful insights.