Date of Award:
8-2017
Document Type:
Dissertation
Degree Name:
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department:
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Committee Chair(s)
Ling Liu
Committee
Ling Liu
Committee
Heng Ban
Committee
Nick Roberts
Committee
Thomas H. Fronk
Committee
Steve Scheiner
Abstract
Thermal transport performance at the nanoscale and/or of biomaterials is essential to the success of many new technologies including nanoelectronics, biomedical devices, and various nanocomposites. Due to complicated microstructures and chemical bonding, thermal transport process in these materials has not been well understood yet. In terms of chemical bonding, it is well known that the strength of atomic bonding can significantly affect thermal transport across materials or across interfaces between materials. Given the intrinsic high strength of hydrogen bonds, this dissertation explores the role of hydrogen bonds in nanoscale thermal transport in various materials, and investigates novel material designs incorporating hydrogen bonds for drastically enhanced thermal conduction.
Molecular dynamics simulation is employed to study thermal transport processes in three representative hydrogen-bonded materials: (1) crystalline motifs of the spider silk, silkworm silk and synthetic silk, (2) crystalline polymer nanofibers, and (3) polymer nanocomposites incorporating graphene or functionalized graphene. Computational and theoretical investigations demonstrate that hydrogen bonds significantly facilitate thermal transport in all three material systems. The underlying molecular mechanisms are systematically investigated. The results will not only contribute new physical insights, but also provide novel concepts of materials design to improve thermal properties towards a wide range of applications.
Checksum
d3fa32a3e463a74d92b1033b19635fac
Recommended Citation
Zhang, Lin, "Facilitation of Nanoscale Thermal Transport by Hydrogen Bonds" (2017). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 6638.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/6638
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