Temperature dependence of non-linear electrical conduction behavior in a screen-printed multi-component nanocomposite

Nanocomposite materials are of growing applications importance in many areas, particularly touch sensitive surfaces. Here, current-voltage measurements were performed over a range of temperatures and static compressive loadings on a new variant of a multi-component, screen-printed nanocomposite ink, in order to understand the physical nature of the electrical transport behavior. A physical model, combining a linear percolative electrical conductance and a highly non-linear conductance, that is ascribed to field assisted quantum tunneling, was successful in describing the temperature dependence of the I-V. This provides a theoretical underpinning for conduction in these functional nanocomposites.