Electrically conductive carbon nanotube/ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene composites with segregated and double percolated structure

This article reports a novel percolation mechanism in carbon nanotube (CNT)/polyethylene composites with combined segregated and double percolated structure, in which the CNTs form conductive networks in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and the CNT/HDPE component forms continuous conductive layers at the interface between the ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene granules. The combination of segregated and double percolated structures achieved an ultralow percolation of 0.049 vol. % CNT. Morphological studies and the determination of the critical exponent t value obtained from the classical threshold mechanism indicate the formation of a three-dimensional conductive network. This work provides a guideline for the easy fabrication of high performance CPCs with an ultralow percolation threshold.

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► Combination of segregated and double percolated network lowers the percolation.
► The conductive composites have a very low percolation (0.049 vol.%).
► The conductive composites form a three-dimensional conductive network.