PNNL

Abstract

Thermal conductivity of GaN nanotubes along the tube axis is investigated over the temperature range of 600K-2300K using homogeneous nonequilibrium molecular dynamics. In general, the thermal conductivity of nanotubes is smaller than that for the bulk GaN single crystal. The thermal conductivity is also found to decrease with temperature and increase with increasing wall thickness of the nanotubes. The change of phonon spectrum and surface inelastic scattering may account for the reduction of thermal conductivity in the nanotubes, while thermal softening and high frequency phonon interactions at high temperatures may provide an explanation for its decrease with increasing temperature.