Nanostructuring expands thermal limits

Woochul Kim, Robert Wang, Arun Majumdar

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

146 Scopus citations

Abstract

Scientists and engineers can exploit nanostructures to manipulate thermal transport in solids. This is possible because the dominant heat carriers in nonmetals - crystal vibrations (or phonons) - have characteristic lengths in the nanometer range. We review research where this approach is used and propose future research directions. For instance, concepts such as phonon filtering, correlated scattering, and waveguiding could expand the extremes of thermal transport in both the insulating and conducting limits. This will have major implications on energy conservation and conversion, information technology, and thermal management systems.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)40-47
Number of pages8
JournalNano Today
Volume2
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2007
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Bioengineering
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • General Materials Science
  • Pharmaceutical Science

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