A numerical model is presented for the determination of the electrical properties of carbon nanotube-based composites. The model incorporates several experimentally-based statistical distributions to account for the stochastic nature of the problem. These distributions include parameters such as nanotube length and diameter in addition to contact resistance. Using a Monte Carlo-based simulation technique, a random nanotube geometry is generated, checked for a percolation spanning network and then converted into a pseudo-3D resistor network for which the effective electrical conductivity is found. Each data point is the ensemble average of 500 or more simulations, each with a unique set of realized parameter values thereby reducing statistical variations of the solution. Studies are conducted to investigate the importance of incorporating the stochastic parameters and to characterize the impact of nanotube waviness and alignment on the effective composite properties. Electron tunneling distance is also included as a variable model parameter.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:RICE/oai:scholarship.rice.edu:1911/70493 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Contributors | Spanos, Pol D. |
| Source Sets | Rice University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Text |
| Format | 110 p., application/pdf |
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