Effect of percolation on thermal transport in nanotube composites
Abstract
The effective thermal conductivity of two-dimensional (2D) nanocomposites composed of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) dispersed in a host substrate is simulated to quantify the role of tube percolation on the thermal transport. The model is in excellent agreement with a 2D effective medium theory for low tube densities, but departs significantly from it when tube-tube interaction becomes significant. It is found that percolation effects may play a role for tube-tube and tube-substrate thermal resistance parameters typical of CNT composites. They are quantified in terms of a conductivity exponent for a range of governing parameters.
- Publication:
-
Applied Physics Letters
- Pub Date:
- March 2007
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.2712428
- Bibcode:
- 2007ApPhL..90j4105K
- Keywords:
-
- 66.70.+f;
- 61.46.Fg;
- Nonelectronic thermal conduction and heat-pulse propagation in solids;
- thermal waves;
- Nanotubes