Thermal Rectification in Graded Materials

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that graded materials with non-uniform mass distribution can exhibit thermal rectification, confirmed through theoretical prediction and numerical simulation, highlighting their potential for thermal diode applications.

Contribution

It introduces a simple model showing thermal rectification in graded systems, emphasizing its natural occurrence and potential for practical thermal diode fabrication.

Findings

Thermal rectification exists in graded materials.

Rectification depends on asymmetry and system size.

Numerical confirmation supports theoretical predictions.

Abstract

In order to identify the basic conditions for thermal rectification we investigate a simple model with non-uniform, graded mass distribution. The existence of thermal rectification is theoretically predicted and numerically confirmed, suggesting that thermal rectification is a typical occurrence in graded systems, which are likely to be natural candidates for the actual fabrication of thermal diodes. In view of practical implications, the dependence of rectification on the asymmetry and system's size is studied.