Designing High-Performance Polymer/Carbon Black Nanocomposites Through Interphase-Tunnel Conductivity Modeling Publisher



Zare Y ; Naqvi M ; Sharifianjazi F ; Soudmand B H
Source: Materials Today Communications Published:2026

Abstract

The modeling methods for the charge transfer in polymer carbon black (CB) nanocomposites (PCBs) are imperfect, since they ignore the contribution of interphase and tunneling regions to the charge transfer. Herein, Halpin-Tsai model is modified and developed for composite conductivity by CB radius, interphase depth ( t ) and conductivity ( σ i ), tunneling distance and diameter ( d ), and network concentration. The factors affecting the PCB conduction are explained to verify the advanced model. Additionally, the measured conductions of numerous examples are compared to the outputs of the novel method. A thicker interphase with more conductivity can increase the charge transfer, as σ i = 400 S/m and t = 30 nm enhance the conductivity to 1.3 S/m. Furthermore, wider tunnels with smaller percolation onset ( ϕ p ) produce more conduction and a supreme conductivity of 0.42 S/m is yielded at d = 60 nm and ϕ p = 0.01. Also, a lower polymer surface energy ( γ p ) with greater CB energy ( γ f ) can provide more conductivity, where γ p = 20 mJ/m2 and γ f = 60 mJ/m2 improve the conductivity to 1.06 S/m. The experimented conductivity for examples denotes a fine harmony with the predictions verifying the advanced model. © 2026 The Authors.