Measuring the Thermal Conductivity of a Single Carbon Nanotube
Abstract
Although the thermal properties of millimeter-sized carbon nanotube mats and packed carbon nanofibers have been readily measured, measurements for a single nanotube are extremely difficult. Here, we report a novel method that can reliably measure the thermal conductivity of a single carbon nanotube using a suspended sample-attached T-type nanosensor. Our experimental results show that the thermal conductivity of a carbon nanotube at room temperature increases as its diameter decreases, and exceeds 2000 W/mK for a diameter of 9.8 nm. The temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity for a carbon nanotube with a diameter of 16.1 nm appears to have an asymptote near 320 K. The present method is, in principle, applicable to any kind of a single nanofiber, nanowire, and even single-walled carbon nanotube.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- August 2005
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.065502
- Bibcode:
- 2005PhRvL..95f5502F
- Keywords:
-
- 81.07.De;
- 65.80.+n;
- Nanotubes;
- Thermal properties of small particles nanocrystals and nanotubes