title: Experimental and theoretical study of the influence of the state of dispersion of graphene on the percolation threshold of conductive graphene/polystyrene nanocomposites.
abstract: The effect of the dispersed state of graphene is studied as a factor influencing the electrical percolation threshold of graphene/polystyrene nanocomposites. We find the percolation threshold of our nanocomposites, prepared with graphene dispersions with different thermodynamic stabilities, degrees of exfoliation, and size polydispersities, to range from 2 to 4.5 wt %. Connectedness percolation theory is applied to calculate percolation thresholds of the corresponding nanocomposites, based on the premise that size polydispersity of graphene platelets in the corresponding solutions must have a strong influence on it. Theory and experimental results agree qualitatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry Group, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven , P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Evgeniy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tkalya
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghislandi
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Otten
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lotya
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alekseev
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: van der Schoot
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coleman
authors.forename: Gijsbertus
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de With
authors.forename: Cor
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koning
keywords: graphene; percolation threshold; polymer nanocomposites