Nanocomposites and nanomaterials

Segregated polymer composites filler with nanocarbon: Monte–Carlo study
Sahalianov I.Yu., Lazarenko O.A., Vovchenko L.L., Matzui L.Y.
Physics faculty, department of general physics. Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Volodymyrska Str 64, Kyiv- 01601, Ukraine. 
E-mail:isagal@ukr.net

Novel nanocarbon filled composites with segregated structure attracts increased interest in the last years due to the opportunity of significant reduction of an amount of a filler and hence, cost of a resulting material [1]. Owing to their ease of processing, low-cost, and tunable electrical properties in comparison to intrinsic conducting polymers, these composites have served applications as anti-static materials, electromagnetic interference shielding, sensors and conductors [1,2]. The effect caused by the spatial ordering in polymer network strongly depends on the types of filler. 
A three-dimensional (3-D) Monte Carlo model is developed for predicting electrical conductivity of polymer matrix composites filled with conductive graphite nanoplatelets (disks), carbon nanotubes or amorphous carbon (black carbon) [3]. The conductive fillers are modeled as a 3-D network of finite sites that are randomly positioned within the spatially ordered emulsion matrix. The percolation behavior of the network is studied using the Monte Carlo method, which leads to the determination of the critical filler volume fraction (or the percolation threshold). Several controlling parameters for different types of filler (namely the filler diameter and aspect ratio) and morphology alongside with the spatial orientation of polymer particles were considered as the main factors that allow to tune electron-transport properties of polymer composites with segregated structure.

1.	Pang H., Xu L., Yan D. X., Li Z. M. Conductive polymer composites with segregated structures // Progress in Polymer Science.-2014.-39, N 11.-P. 1908-1933.
2.	Sagalianov I., Vovchenko L., Matzui L., Lazarenko O. Synergistic enhancement of the percolation threshold in hybrid polymeric nanocomposites based on carbon nanotubes and graphite nanoplatelets // Nanoscale research letters.-2017.-12, N 1.-P 140.