Intermolecular energy transfer at a solid-liquid interface

It is known that a temperature jump appears at a solid-liquid interface where high heat pur is applied. The molecular mechanism of this thermal resistance at the interface was analyzed in the present study based on the concept of the intermolecular energy transfer (IET) proposed by the present author. A molecular dynamics simulation has been performed for a system of a liquid layer between two parallel solid walls at different temperatures and the IET characteristics at the interface were examined. It was found that at the interface, intermolecular energy transfer reverse to the macroscopic heat flux occurs in a wide range of the intermolecular distance, which reduces the macroscopic heat flux.