Interfacial Thermal Resistance Between Carbon Nanotubes: Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Analytical Thermal Modeling

Interfacial thermal transport between offset parallel (10,10) single-wall carbon nanotubes is investigated by molecular dynamics simulation and analytical thermal modeling as a function of nanotube spacing, overlap, and length. A four order of magnitude reduction in interfacial thermal resistance is found as the nanotubes are brought into intimate contact. A reduction is also found for longer nanotubes and for nanotubes with increased overlap area. Thermal resistance between a nanotube and a reservoir at its boundary increases with decreasing reservoir temperature. Additionally, length-dependent Young's moduli and damping coefficients are calculated based on observed nanotube deflections.