School of Physics and Astronomy

The resistivity response upon stretching of a carbon nanotube/thermoplastic elastomer composite fabricated by a solution process with good nanotube dispersion and low percolation threshold ͑p c ϳ 0.35 wt % ͒ is reported. The relationship between resistivity and strain ͑deformation͒ shows an exponential relationship with universal, nanotube concentration-independent behavior. The temperature dependence of the resistivity is described by the fluctuation induced tunneling model. The experimental resistivity-strain dependence greater than 5% strain is interpreted in terms of this model by consideration of the gap-width modulation of tunnel junctions. Percolation theory applied to the conductive nanotube network indicates that for less than 5% strain, deformation of the conductive network is the controlling mechanism for changes in resistivity.

This research presents the effect of conductive network formation in the melt (dynamic percolation) to the conductivity of the composite for a multi-walled carbon nanotube/thermoplastic polyurethane composite system. An extremely low percolation threshold 0.13 wt.% was achieved in the melt processed composite film samples, whereas a much higher CNT concentration (3~4 wt.%) is needed to form a conductive network for the composite strands directly extruded from the melt. This is explained by the dynamic percolation behaviour of the CNT network in the melt. The temperature and CNT concentration needed to activate dynamic percolation in this composite was studied by measuring the conductivity temperature dependence of the extruded strand, in an attempt to give an estimation of processing conditions needed for optimized final product fabrication.

when compared to pure carbon-terminated nanotubes. Experimentally, it is found that B-doped tubes, which are produced by arc discharge techniques and contain B mainly at the tips, exhibit stable electron field emission at lower turn-on voltages (1.4 V/µm) when compared to pure single-and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (2.8 and 3.0 V/µm, respectively) measured under the same conditions. We strongly believe our results will bring new insights in the fabrication of stable field emission sources.

Composites of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) of varying aspect ratio and carboxylic acid functionality were prepared using melt mixing. The extent of dispersion and distribution of the MWCNTs in the PMMA matrix was investigated using a combination of high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The electrical resistivity and oscillatory shear rheological properties of the composites were measured as a function of MWCNT geometry, functionality, and concentration. The fundamental ballistic conductance of the pristine free-standing MWCNTs was investigated using a mechanically controlled break-junction method. The electrical conductivity of PMMA was enhanced by up to 11 orders of magnitude for MWCNT concentrations below 0.5 wt.%. MWCNTs having higher aspect ratio, above 500, or functionalized with carboxylic acid groups readily formed rheological percolated networks with thresholds, determined from a power law relationship, of 1.52 and 2.06 wt.%, respectively. The onset of pseudo-solid-like behaviour and network formation is observed as G′, η∗, and tan δ−1 are independent of frequency as MWCNT loading increased. Sufficiently long and/or functionalized tubes are required to physically bridge or provide interfacial interactions with PMMA to alter polymer chain dynamics. Carboxylic acid functionalization disrupts the crystalline order of MWCNTs due to a loss of π-conjugation and electron de-localisation of sp2 C–C bonds resulting in non-ballistic electron transport in these tubes, irrespective of how highly dispersed they are in the PMMA matrix.

We report the first observation of intercalation into carbon nanotubes without breaking the tubular structure. Both K-intercalated and FeCl3-intercalated tubes were produced by a gas-phase reaction of oriented multiwall “buckybundle” material with potassium metal and iron (III) chloride, respectively. The resulting material preserves its oriented structure. It has been studied by X-ray diffraction, SEM, weight uptake and magnetoresistance measurement techniques. Interlayer spacing in the intercalated tubes is very close to that in corresponding graphite intercalation compounds. It has been shown that intercalated buckybundles exhibit some noteworthy galvanomagnetic properties including the random conductance fluctuations. The intercalation process is accompanied by swelling of the tubes. The swollen sections alternate non-intercalated “necks” forming an impressive “bead-line” pattern.

It is shown that the dominant conduction mechanism in single-wall carbon nanotube networks at room temperature is variable range hopping. Thin networks follow a variable range hopping law throughout the temperature range 4 K < T < 300 K, thick networks display variable range hopping characteristics in the range 50 K < T < 300 K, with deviation to Bloch–Grüneisen behaviour at lower temperatures. The adsorption state of these materials is shown to determine the sign of change in conductance upon subsequent exposure to oxygen. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Due to their desirable spectral response, amorphous Se:Te alloys are widely used as commercial xerographic photoreceptor materials. It is shown that the dark decay of the electrostatic surface potential on a corona-charged a-Se:Te alloy photoreceptor occurs via electric field-enhanced xerographic depletion discharge (FEXDD) in which Poole-Frenkel-assisted thermal emission of holes from deep mobility-gap states and their subsequent sweep out generates a negative bulk space charge. A theoretical expression is derived for the dependence of the xerographic depletion time t , and the time required for the surface potential to decay to half its value tllZ on the initial charging voltage V,. Experimental data show good agreement with the theory and enable the Poole-Frenkel coefficient for a-Se:Te to be evaluated. Furthermore, it is shown that at the highest charging voltages, tl12 actually decreases with V,, which is directly attributable to the FEXDD process. Cycled-up xerographic residual voltage measurements indicate that the saturated residual voltage increases sharply with small Te addition due to an increase in the concentration of deep hole traps. As the Te content is increased beyond -12 wt.% Te, the saturated residual potential starts to decrease. Cycled-up xerographic residual voltage measurements carried out on two double-layer photoreceptors of the Se:Te/Se type when interpreted via the residual voltage expression for a double dielectric structure points to possible interface hole traps between the top Se:Te photogeneration layer and the Se charge transport layer.

Carbon nanotubes are a sigdicant addition to the emergng field of nanotube biotechnology. The biocompatihility, high structural integrity, and unique electronic and mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes complement or surpass those of self-assembled lipid nanotubes, peptide nanotubes, and template-synthesised nanotubes (metals, polymers, semiconductors, and carbons). Carbon nanotubes are candidates for a range of hiomolecular applications that is likely to widen considerably in the future.

Increasing evidence is becoming available about not only the surface differential rotation of rapidly rotating cool stars but, in a small number of cases, also about temporal variations, which possibly are analogous to the solar torsional oscillations. Given the present difficulties in resolving the precise nature of such variations, due to both the short length and poor resolution of the available data, theoretical input is vital to help assess the modes of behaviour that might be expected, and will facilitate interpretation of the observations. Here we take a first step in this direction by studying the variations in the convection zones of such stars, using a two dimensional axisymmetric mean field dynamo model operating in a spherical shell in which the only nonlinearity is the action of the azimuthal component of the Lorentz force of the dynamo generated magnetic field on the stellar angular velocity. We consider three families of models with different depths of dynamo-active regions. For moderately supercritical dynamo numbers we find torsional oscillations that penetrate all the way down to the bottom of the convection zones, similar to the case of the Sun. For larger dynamo numbers we find fragmentation in some cases and sometimes there are other dynamical modes of behaviour, including quasi-periodicity and chaos. We find that the largest deviations in the angular velocity distribution caused by the Lorentz force are of the order of few percent, implying that the original assumed 'background' rotation field is not strongly distorted.

Recent analyses of the helioseismic data have produced evidence for a variety of interesting dynamical behaviour associated with torsional oscillations. What is not so far clear is whether these oscillations extend all the way to the bottom of the convection zone and, if so, whether the oscillatory behaviour at the top and the bottom of the convection zone is different. Attempts have been made to understand such modes of behaviour within the framework of nonlinear dynamo models which include the nonlinear action of the Lorentz force of the dynamo generated magnetic field on the solar angular velocity. One aspect of these models that remains uncertain is the nature of the boundary conditions on the magnetic field. Here by employing a range of physically plausible boundary conditions, we show that for near-critical and moderately supercritical dynamo regimes, the oscillations extend all the way down to the bottom of the convection zone. Thus, such penetration is an extremely robust feature of the models considered. We also find parameter ranges for which the supercritical models show spatiotemporal fragmentation for a range of choices of boundary conditions. Given their observational importance, we also make a comparative study of the amplitude of torsional oscillations as a function of the boundary conditions.

Recent analyses of helioseismological observations seem to suggest the presence of two new phenomena connected with the dynamics of the solar convective zone. Firstly, there are present torsional oscillations with periods of about 11 years, which penetrate significantly into the solar convection zone and secondly, oscillatory regimes exist near the base of the convection which are markedly different from those observed near the top, having either significantly reduced periods or being non-periodic.

Aims. Analyses of recent cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations have provided increasing hints that there are deviations in the universe from statistical isotropy on large scales. Given the far reaching consequences of such an anisotropy for our understanding of the universe, it is important to employ alternative indicators in order to determine whether the reported anisotropy is cosmological in origin and, if so, extract information that may be helpful for identifying its causes. Methods. Here we propose a new directional indicator, based on separation histograms of pairs of pixels, which provides a measure of departure from statistical isotropy. The main advantage of this indicator is that it generates a sky map of large-scale anisotropies in the CMB temperature map, thus allowing a possible additional window into their causes. Results. Using this indicator, we find statistically significant excess of large-scale anisotropy at well over the 95% confidence level. This anisotropy defines a preferred direction in the CMB data. We discuss the statistical significance of this direction compared to Monte Carlo data obtained under the statistical isotropy hypothesis, and also compare it with other such axes recently reported in the literature. In addition we show that our findings are robust with respect to the details of the method used, so long as the statistical noise is kept under control; and they remain unchanged compared to the foreground cleaning algorithms used in CMB maps. We also find that the application of our method to the first and three-year WMAP data produces similar results.

Analyses of recent helioseismic data have produced ample evidence for substantial dynamical variation of the differential rotation within the solar convection zone. Given the inevitable difficulties in resolving the precise nature of variations at deeper layers, much effort has recently gone into determining theoretically the expected modes of behaviour, using nonlinear dynamo models. Two important limitations of these models are that they have so far included only one form of nonlinearity, and as yet they have not taken into account the density stratification in the solar convection zone. Here we address both of these issues by studying the effects of including density stratification, as well as including an α-quenching nonlinearity in addition to the previously studied effects of the Lorentz force on the differential rotation. We find that observationally important features found in the earlier uniform density models remain qualitatively unchanged, although there are quantitative differences. This is important as it provides more realistic theoretical predictions to be compared with and guide observations, especially in the deeper regions where the uncertainties in the inversions are larger. However the presence of an effective alpha-quenching nonlinearity significantly reduces the amplitudes of the oscillations.