Simulated electrical response of randomly distributed and aligned graphene/polymer nanocomposites

In this work, a recently developed numerical method that simulates the electrical response of a graphene/polymer nanocomposite is validated with experimental data. The approach is based on the multiscale method and consists of a unit cell and a representative volume element (RVE), accounting for aligned and randomly distributed nanoparticles. At the unit cell level, the material nano characteristics (filler geometry, constituent electrical and interfacial properties) are integrated into a local resistance algebraic matrix. The material architecture is then modelled at the micro-level (RVE) by a user-defined distribution of the unit cell electrical properties. A statistical sample was studied and the average electrical response was compared with measurements for direct (DC) and alternate current (AC). The proposed methodology accurately describes the nanocomposite electrical behaviour with its volume fraction and loading frequency. The model is proven to be an effective, flexible and time-efficient tool to design and optimize advanced nanocomposite systems.