Anisotropy in electrical conductivity of two-dimensional films containing aligned rodlike particles: continuous and lattice models

TL;DR

This study uses Monte Carlo simulations to explore how rod alignment influences electrical conductivity in two-dimensional films, revealing anisotropic behavior and potential for transparent, directionally conductive materials.

Contribution

It compares continuous and lattice models, demonstrating their similar behaviors and highlighting the impact of rod alignment on electrical anisotropy in films.

Findings

Electrical conductivity depends on rod concentration and alignment.

Partially aligned rods can produce films conductive in only one direction.

Films can be both transparent and electrically anisotropic.

Abstract

Numerical simulations using the Monte Carlo method were performed to study the electrical conductivity of two-dimensional films filled with rodlike particles (rods). The main goal was to investigate the effect of rod alignment on the electrical properties of the films. Both continuous and lattice approaches were used. Intersections of particles were forbidden. Our main findings are (i) both models demonstrate similar behaviors, (ii) at low concentration of rods, both approaches lead to the same dependencies of the electrical conductivity on the concentration of the rods, (iii) the alignment of the rods essentially affects the electrical conductivity, (iv) at some concentrations of partially aligned rods, the films may be conducting only in one direction, (v) the films may simultaneously be both highly transparent and electrically anisotropic.