M Nabizadeh - Ph.D student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran
A Rastgoo - Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Tehran
M Samadzadeh - Graduate student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Tehran

Electrical and thermal conductivity of carbon nanotube reinforced polymer composites were investigated as a function of carbon nanotube concentration. Both cases of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT) were studied. The percolation threshold in composite materials is defined as the composition at which the conducting phase forms a continuous three-dimensional network through the material. A new model is introduced which combines both electrical and thermal percolation thresholds. Applying this model leads to optimum selection of nanotube concentration regarding electrical/thermal applications. The model is verified for some circumstances

carbon nanotubes; polymer-matrix composites (PMCs); electrical conductivity; thermalconductivity; percolation threshold