AVS 46th International Symposium
    Topical Conference on Emerging Opportunities and Issues in Nanotubes and Nanoelectronics Friday Sessions
       Session NT+NS+EM+MS-FrM

Paper NT+NS+EM+MS-FrM7
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of the Thermal Conductivity of Carbon Nanotubes

Friday, October 29, 1999, 10:20 am, Room 6C

Session: Nanotubes: Growth, Characterization and Properties II
Presenter: M.A. Osman, NASA Ames Research Center
Authors: M.A. Osman, NASA Ames Research Center
D. Srivastava, NASA Ames Research Center
Correspondent: Click to Email
Carbon nanotubes (CNT) have very attractive electronic, mechanical, and thermal properties. Recently, measurements of thermal conductivity in single wall CNTs showed thermal conductivity magnitudes ranging from 17.5 to 58 W/cm-K at room temperature, which are better than bulk graphite.@footnote 1@ The cylinderical symmetry of CNT leads to large thermal conductivity along the tube axis which is an improvement over the strongly anisotropic nature of thermal conductivity of graphite. Additionally, unlike graphite, CNTs can be made into ropes that can be used as heat pipes. We have investigated the thermal concutivity of single wall CNTs Using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) with Brennar potential. The results of the simulation are in good agreement with the experimental results. We will discuss the results of our simluation and report on the effects of tube diameter and chirality on the thermal conductivity. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ J. Hone, M. Whitney, C. Piskoti, and A. Zettl, Phys. Rev. B59, R2514 (1999).