A model for conductivity and permittivity of heterogeneous systems with complex microstructures

The studies of the effective bulk properties of various heterogeneous systems, such as dispersions, composite electrolytes, nanocomposites, and nanofluids (suspensions of nanoparticles), have attracted and keep attracting considerable interest. The reason is that these systems can demonstrate unusual properties which are not typical of pure materials. In particularly, their effective conductivity and permittivity can reveal drastic percolation-type growth, non-monotonous behavior, etc. The existing quantitative theories of these are often far from being satisfactory. The elaboration of pertinent consistent models inevitably leads one to the necessity of working out in detail the microstructure of the system and attacking essentially many-particle problems.