In this study, we have investigated and compared electrical, optical, and mechanical properties of polystyrene thin films with added multi-walled carbon nanotube and carbon mesoporous. Surface conductivity (σ), scattered light intensity (Isc), and all the mechanical parameters of these composites have increased with increasing the content of carbon filler (multi-walled carbon nanotube or carbon mesoporous) in the polystyrene composites. This behavior in electrical, mechanical, and optical properties of the polystyrene/carbon fiber composites has been explained by classical and site percolation theory, respectively. The electrical percolation thresholds (Rσ) were determined to be 8.0 wt% for polystyrene/multi-walled carbon nanotube and 25.0 wt% for polystyrene/carbon mesoporous composites. The optical percolation thresholds were found to be Rop = 0.8 wt.% for polystyrene/multi-walled carbon nanotube and Rop = 3.0 wt.% for polystyrene/carbon mesoporous composites. For the polystyrene/carbon mesoporous composite system, it was determined that the mechanical percolation threshold occurred at lower R values than the polystyrene/multi-walled carbon nanotube composite system. The electrical (βσ), optical (βop), and mechanical (βm) critical exponents have been calculated for both of the polystyrene/carbon fiber composites and obtained as compatible with used percolation theory.
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