Electrical conductivity of PMMA filled with copper powder

Abstract

This article is concerned with synthesis and characterization of electroconductive composite materials prepared by hot molding of mixtures of PMMA and electrochemically deposited copper powder and investigation of conductivity and percolation threshold of obtained composites. Electrodeposited copper powder content was varied from 0.5-8.8 vol%. Analysis of the most significant properties of individual components and prepared composites was performed using DC U/I measurements and AFM technique. The significant increase of the electrical conductivity was observed as the copper powder content reaches the percolation threshold at 2.98 vol%. In the investigated range of electrodeposited copper powder concentrations the increase of the electrical conductivity of composites is as much as sixteen orders of magnitude.