Electron transport in semiconducting nanoparticle and nanocluster carbon–polymer composites

The electron transport properties of two types of carbon–polyimide (C–PI) nanocomposite thin films have been evaluated. Conductive nanocomposites formed by incorporation of 30 nm carbon particles prior to polymer cross linking (ex situ formation) has been compared to high energy ion beam irradiation in situ formation of nanoscale carbon clusters within the polymer composite. Addition of carbon nanoparticles were able to reduce the resistivity by 13 orders of magnitude for 8 vol% carbon content. The irradiated in situ formed film showed a comparable resistivity to this 8% C–PI film. All the films exhibited negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTCR) behaviour. While in the ex situ films the NTCR decreased progressively with increasing temperature above 350 K, the in situ film exhibited a constant NTCR value at ambient as well as elevated temperatures indicating that films formed by ion beam irradiation eliminate possible clustering of nanoparticles prior to crosslinking seen in the ex situ films. The optimum hop energies for the ex situ films ranged from 23.1 to 8.05 meV when carbon content increased from 1 to 8 vol% and the corresponding value for the in situ formed film was 34.94 meV. These films had appreciable NTCR values, and were evaluated for their thermistor behaviour as a class of material with potential for temperature sensing devices.