Electrical Conductivity of Nanocomposites Based on Low-Density Polyethylene and Cu2S Nanoparticles

Abstract

The temperature dependences of the electrical conductivity of nanocomposites based on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and Cu₂S nanoparticles are studied. It is shown that, starting from a certain temperature, the temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity is described by the following Arrhenius equation: σ = σ₀exp(–E/kT); the logσ = f(10³/T) dependence has several linear portions with different activation energy values. The observed behavior of the logρ = f(1/T) dependence of the LDPE/Cu₂S nanocomposites suggests that an increase in temperature is accompanied by an increase in the mobility of the structural units of the polymer matrix in the bulk and on the surface of the sample. The polymer–filler interfacial interactions decrease the electrical resistance of the boundary layer and thereby lead to a decrease in the activation energy of the charge carriers and an increase in the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposite.