Percolation of single-walled carbon nanotubes in ceramic matrix nanocomposites

The percolation of carbon nanotubes (CNT) in an electrical insulating ceramic is studied for the first time. The in situ synthesis of the CNT (0.2–25 vol%) by a CCVD route allows to achieve their homogeneous distribution in the spinel matrix. Up to 11 vol% CNT, the DC electrical conductivity (σ) is well fitted by the scaling law of the percolation theory σ=k(p−pc)t with a low percolation threshold pc=0.64 vol%. At the threshold, σ jumps over …