Metal coating effect on thermal diffusivity of single-walled carbon nanotube

Recently a functionalized single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) that is modified by metal atoms was experimentally developed. Single-walled carbon nanotube is known to exhibit exceptional thermal conductivity; however, there is no report about a functionalized SWCNT. In this study, thermal diffusivity of metal-coated SWCNT was derived using molecular dynamics. Consequently, thermal diffusivity exhibited 10 times smaller than uncoated SWCNT. On the other hand, the heat conduction on the metal layer was observed as the shape of shoulder on the thermal time response and it was found that this contribution was not small for a short-length SWCNT. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.