Nonlinear thermal transport and negative differential thermal conductance in graphene nanoribbons

Jiuning Hu, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
Yan Wang, Purdue University
Ajit Vallabhaneni, Purdue University
Xiulin Ruan, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
Yong P. Chen, Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University

Date of this Version

9-12-2011

Citation

Applied Physics Letters: Volume 99, Issue 11

Comments

Copyright (2011) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Applied Physics Letters: Volume 99, Issue 11 and may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3630026. The following article has been submitted to/accepted by Applied Physics Letters. Copyright (2011) Jiuning Hu, Yan Wang, Ajit Vallabhaneni, Xiulin Ruan, and Yong P. Chen. This article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

Abstract

We employ classical molecular dynamics to study the nonlinear thermal transport in graphene nanoribbons (GNRs). For GNRs under large temperature biases beyond linear response regime, we have observed the onset of negative differential thermal conductance (NDTC). NDTC is tunable by varying the manner of applying the temperature biases. NDTC is reduced and eventually disappears when the length of the GNR increases. We have also observed NDTC in triangular GNRs, where NDTC exists only when the heat current is from the narrower to the wider end. These effects may be useful in nanoscale thermal managements and thermal signal processing utilizing GNRs. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3630026]

Discipline(s)

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

 

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