title: Enhanced tunneling conductivity induced by gelation of attractive colloids.
abstract: We show that the formation of a gel by conducting colloidal particles leads to a dramatic enhancement in bulk conductivity, due to interparticle electron tunneling, combining predictions from molecular-dynamics simulations with structural measurements in an experimental colloid system. Our results show how colloidal gelation can be used as a general route to huge enhancements of conductivity, and suggest a feasible way for developing cheap materials with novel properties and low metal content.
authors.affiliation: LPM, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Biagio
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nigro
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grimaldi
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ryser
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Varrato
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Foffi
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lu