Pressure-Independent Through-Plane Electrical Conductivity Measurements of Highly Filled Conductive Polymer Composites

Highly filled conductive polymer composites (CPCs) are widely used in applications such as bipolar plate materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells and redox flow batteries, electromagnetic interference shielding and sensors due to their useful electrical properties. A common method for determining through-plane electrical conductivities $\left({\sigma }_{\mathrm{t}\mathrm{p}}\right)$ of such highly filled CPCs applies a conductive carbon paper between electrodes and sample with application of external pressure to improve electrical contact. We show the pressure-dependence of the measured ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{t}\mathrm{p}}$ can be eliminated by using a liquid metal such as the gallium-indium eutectic alloy (EGaIn) as contact material. Results indicate that EGaIn reduces contact resistances and cause three to five times larger ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{t}\mathrm{p}}$ compared to measurements with carbon paper contacts and pressures up to 20 bar.