Effect of Temperature and Nickel Concentration on the Electrical and Dielectric Properties of Polyethylene-Nickel Composites

Abstract

The effect of temperature range from 298 K to 348 K and volume filler content ф on electrical properties of polyethylene PE filled with nickel Ni powders has been investigated. The volume electrical resistivity V  of such composites decreases suddenly by several orders of magnitude at a critical volume concentration (i.e. фc=14.27 Vol.%) ,whereas the dielectric constant   and the A.C electrical conductivity AC of such composites increase suddenly at a critical volume concentration (i.e. фc=14.27 Vol.%).For volume filler content lower than percolation threshold ф<фc the resistivity decreases with increasing temperature, whereas the dielectric constant and the A.C electrical conductivity of such composites increase indicating a semi-conducting behavior, where for ф> фc there is increase in the value of their resistivity, and decrease in the value of their dielectric constant and the A.C electrical conductivity AC with increasing temperature indicating metallic-conduction