The electrical resistance characteristics of carbon-based composite films

Carbon-based composite films are widely used in electric heating applications due to their efficient conversion of electric energy into heat. Their heating effectiveness depends on resistances, influenced by their size, constituents, and temperature. This study explores the resistances of carbon-based nanocomposites both experimentally and theoretically. Experimental investigation involved preparing films of different sizes and measuring their resistance at various temperatures. The resistance of the graphite composite film was found to be significantly higher than that of the graphene composite film when the geometry sizes are the same. Theoretical investigation employed a micromechanics methodology based on the effective-medium theory to elucidate the resistance mechanisms and align with the experiments. Both approaches indicated that resistance increases linearly with length, decreases nonlinearly with thickness, and decreases with temperature, all correlating with the increased power consumption and heat generation. It was also observed that films with higher graphene/carbon nanotube concentrations reduced the resistance and that increased dispersant/bonding agent led to a higher one. This study provides significant insights into the practical applications of composite films across various disciplines.