Publications Details
Thermal rectification in bulk materials using rough contacts: A thermal diode
Thermal rectification occurs when a device permits heat to flow preferentially in one direction direction while restricting it in the opposite direction. Thermal rectification can occur whenever an asymmetry is present in a device, and has been demonstrated to arise in bulk materials that have asymmetric geometry, in the contact of two materials with different thermal properties and in nanomaterials. Herein, a thermal diode that utilizes thermal expansion to directionally control interfacial conductance between two contacting surfaces is presented. Essentially, the device consists of two thermal reservoirs contacting a beam with one rough and one smooth end. When the temperature of reservoir in contact with the smooth surface is raised, a similar temperature rise will occur in the beam, causing it to expand, thus increasing the contact pressure at the rough interface and reducing the interfacial contact resistance. However, if the temperature of the reservoir in contact with the rough interface is raised, the large contact resistance will prevent a similar temperature rise in the beam. As a result, the contact pressure will be marginally affected and the contact resistance will not change appreciably. Owing to the decreased contact resistance of the first scenario compared to the second, thermal rectification occurs. A parametric analysis is used to determine optimal device parameters including surface roughness, contact pressure and device length. Modeling predicts rectification factors greater than 2 are possible at thermal biases as small as 3 K. Copyright © 2012 by ASME.