Temperature dependence of electrical conductivity of multi-walled carbon nanotube networks in a polystyrene composite

Abstract

The conductance properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube mats and their polystyrene composite were examined to investigate the mechanism of conduction and the specific role of the supporting polymer. By measuring the temperature dependence of the conductance, it was found that the conduction mechanism in carbon nanotube mat follows the series heterogeneous model when the conductance is described as the sum of metallic and barrier portions of the conduction path. This mechanism is affected by the polymeric portion of the composite, since the temperature dependence of the composite conductance is decreased.