Uncertainties in Electric Circuit Analysis of Anisotropic Electrical Conductivity and Piezoresistivity of Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites

Electrical conductivity and piezoresistivity of carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposites are analyzed by nodal analysis for aligned and random CNT networks dependent on the intrinsic CNT conductivity and tunneling barrier values. In the literature, these parameters are assigned with significant uncertainty; often, the intrinsic resistivity is neglected. We analyze the variability of homogenized conductivity, its sensitivity to deformation, and the validity of the assumption of zero intrinsic resistivity. A fast algorithm for simulation of a gauge factor is proposed. The modelling shows: (1) the uncertainty of homogenization caused by the uncertainty in CNT electrical properties is higher than the uncertainty, caused by the nanocomposite randomness; (2) for defect-prone nanotubes (intrinsic conductivity similar to 10(4) S/m), the influence of tunneling barrier energy on both the homogenized conductivity and gauge factor is weak, but it becomes stronger for CNTs with higher intrinsic conductivity; (3) the assumption of infinite intrinsic conductivity (defect-free nanotubes) has strong influence on the homogenized conductivity.

Automated summary

This study analyzes the electrical conductivity and piezoresistivity of carbon nanotube nanocomposites, and finds that the uncertainty in CNT electrical properties leads to a higher level of uncertainty in homogenized conductivity. The influence of tunneling barrier energy on homogenized conductivity and gauge factor is weak for defect-prone nanotubes, but becomes stronger for CNTs with higher intrinsic conductivity.