A theoretical model is proposed for the tunneling-percolation (TP) conduction in the metal-insulator nanocomposites
based on the equivalent-particle concept. To establish a clear microstructure-property correlation, many-particle statistics
is adopted firstly for the microstructure characterization in this TP model, and then incorporated hierarchically into
effective-medium theory and classical percolation (CP) theory for the local and global TP conduction, respectively. The
availability of this TP model is confirmed by experimental data. Results also show that the conventional CP model,
regardless of universal or nonuniversal exponents, fails to account for the whole transition process from the electrically
tunneling conduction to geometrically percolating conduction in the nanocomposites. Furthermore, the effect of metal
particle size on the tunneling conduction thresholds is investigated with an experimental verification. The dominant role
of interparticle tunneling conductance on the nanocomposite conductivity is explored, which exactly clarifies the main
cause to failure of CP model--significant nonlinearity of percolation exponent.
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