Understanding the anomalous frequency responses of composite materials using very large random resistor-capacitor networks

Mustapha Aouaichia, Nick McCullen, Chris R. Bowen (), Darryl P. Almond, Chris Budd and Rachid Bouamrane
Additional contact information
Mustapha Aouaichia: LEPM, Faculté de Physique
Nick McCullen: University of Bath
Chris R. Bowen: University of Bath
Darryl P. Almond: University of Bath
Chris Budd: University of Bath
Rachid Bouamrane: LEPM, Faculté de Physique

The European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems, 2017, vol. 90, issue 3, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract In this paper large resistor-capacitor (RC) networks that consist of randomly distributed conductive and capacitive elements which are much larger than those previously explored are studied using an efficient algorithm. We investigate the emergent power-law scaling of the conductance and the percolation and saturation limits of the networks at the high and low frequency bounds in order to compare with a modification of the classical Effective Medium Approximation (EMA) that enables its extension to finite network sizes. It is shown that the new formula provides a simple analytical description of the network response that accurately predicts the effects of finite network size and composition and it agrees well with the new numerical calculations on large networks and is a significant improvement on earlier EMA formulae. Avenues for future improvement and explanation of the formula are highlighted. Finally, the statistical variation of network conductivity with network size is observed and explained. This work provides a deeper insight into the response of large resistor-capacitor networks to understand the AC electrical properties, size effects, composition effects and statistical variation of properties of a range of heterogeneous materials and composite systems.

Keywords: Solid; State; and; Materials (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1140/epjb/e2017-70438-8 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:eurphb:v:90:y:2017:i:3:d:10.1140_epjb_e2017-70438-8

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.springer.com/economics/journal/10051

DOI: 10.1140/epjb/e2017-70438-8

Access Statistics for this article

The European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems is currently edited by P. Hänggi and Angel Rubio

More articles in The European Physical Journal B: Condensed Matter and Complex Systems from Springer, EDP Sciences
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().