Rheological and Electrical Percolation Behavior of Carbon Black Suspendedin Propylene Carbonate

In this work, the microstructural origin of the rheo-electric behavior of carbon black gels and suspensions is studied. These materials find widespread use as conductive fillers in composites and slurry-based electrochemical energy storage technologies. In these applications, both the viscosity and electrical conductivity are key design parameters. We use microstructural, rheological and electrical measurements to understand the origin of percolation in these suspensions and rationalize the results using a fluid-cluster-gel transition. The results of these studies explain many emerging observations of the macroscopic behavior of filled carbon black suspensions and guide the way toward improving their rheological and electrical performance.