Thermal rectification in asymmetric two-phase nanowires

Thermal rectification based on a new strategy of nanostructuration has been assessed with nonequilibrium molecular dynamics and wave-packet propagation simulations. The use asymmetric crystalline-core/amorphous-conical-shell nanowires creates direction-dependent thermal conductivity due to variable axial radial phonon propagation/confinement. origin this effect is related the combination crystalline/amorphous interface parallel heat flux, together amount amorphous coating conical shell nanowire. Physical insights are given by mean free path phonons, energy transfer, diffusivity, vibrational density states restricted different constitutive elements