Microstructural image analysis and structure-electrical conductivity relationship of single- and multiple-filler conductive composites

The electrical conductivity of polypropylene/graphite (PP/G) composites and polypropylene/graphite/carbon black (PP/G/CB) was investigated in this paper. The conductivity experimental data of PP/G composites was correlated to theoretical models, which exist in the literature, and the results showed higher values of the exponent t compared to the expected typical values. Moreover, these analytical models were unable to describe the electrical behaviour for multiple-filler conductive composites such as PP/G/CB composites. A 2D computer simulation to numerically compute the electrical conductivity based on digital image analysis was found to be somewhat useful to describe the mechanism of conduction in PP/G/CB composites and to determine the critical factors in developing high electrically conductive composites. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.