Thermal rectification in a polymer-functionalized single-wall carbon nanotube

Thermal rectification occurs when heat current through a material is favored in one direction but not in the opposite direction. These materials, often called thermal diodes, have the potential to perform logic calculations with phonons. Rectification obtained with existing material systems is either too minor or too difficult to implement practically. Hence, we present a scheme to enable higher rectification using a single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) that is covalently functionalized near one end with polyacetylene (PA) chains. This composite structure allows rectification R up to 204%, which is higher than the values reported for SWCNTs. Here, ##IMG## [http://ift.tt/Xj3Ua7] {$R=\left( \left( {{J}_{+}}-{{J}_{-}} \right)/{{J}_{-}} \right)100\%$} , where ##IMG## [http://ift.tt/1zyEweh] {${{J}_{+}}$} and ##IMG## {${{J}_{-}}$...}

Souvik Pal and Ishwar K Puri

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