Infrared emission in metamaterial composed of poly(ethylene terephthalate) polymeric matrix and carbon nanotubes. (Conference Presentation)

We experimentally characterized the electrical conductivity and the IR emissivity (in the 3.5-5.1 micron spectral) range of samples consisting of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) dispersed into poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) matrix. The experimental results show a percolation effect in the electrical conductance along with an emissivity increase with the amount of dispersed CNTs. Maxwell Garnett effective medium approximation was then employed in order to reconstruct the obtained results in the infrared, while morphological investigation (SEM micrographies and White light interferometry) highlighted the effect of surface roughness introduced by CNTs inclusions.