Electrical conductivity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes-SU8 epoxy composites

TL;DR

This study investigates how the electrical conductivity of multi-walled carbon nanotubes embedded in SU8 epoxy resin varies with different processing conditions, revealing tunneling and percolation regimes influenced by polymerization.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the relationship between epoxy processing conditions and the resulting electrical conductivity regimes in nanotube composites.

Findings

Conductivity exhibits tunneling and percolation regimes depending on epoxy polymerization.

Polymerization reduces separation between nanotubes, affecting conductivity behavior.

Qualitative change in conductivity linked to epoxy curing process.

Abstract

We have characterized the electrical conductivity of the composite which consists of multi-walled carbon nanotubes dispersed in SU8 epoxy resin. Depending on the processing conditions of the epoxy (ranging from non-polymerized to cross-linked) we obtained tunneling and percolating-like regimes of the electrical conductivity of the composites. We interpret the observed qualitative change of the conductivity behavior in terms of reduced separation between the nanotubes induced by polymerization of the epoxy matrix.