Thermal conductivity of the opal-epoxy resin nanocomposite

The effective thermal conductivity κ_eff of seven opal + epoxy resin nanocomposite samples with 100% filling of first-order pores by epoxy resin was measured in the 100-to 300-K temperature interval. In the nanocomposite studied, the thermal conductivity of the matrix (amorphous SiO₂ spheres) is larger than that of the filler material (epoxy resin). κ_eff(T) of the opal + epoxy resin nanocomposite at intermediate temperatures (100–300 K) is shown to behave similar to pure opal. An explanation of the observed effect is proposed.     

Thermal conductivity of NaCl loaded in regular arrays of nanovoids in a synthetic opal single crystal

Samples of opal + NaCl nanocomposites with 100 and 80% filling of first-order opal voids by sodium chloride have been prepared. Their effective thermal conductivities, κ_eff, were measured in the temperature interval 5–300 K. The lattice thermal conductivity of NaCl loaded in the opal voids, κ _ph ^op , was calculated from the measured κ_eff(T). The value of ph was found to be considerably smaller than the lattice thermal conductivity of bulk NaCl throughout the temperature interval studied. For T>20 K, this behavior of κ _ph ^op (T) is accounted for by the presence of specific defects that form in NaCl loaded in opal voids. For T<20 K, κ _ph ^op (T) is governed by boundary phonon scattering from bottlenecks in horn-shaped channels interconnecting the octahedral and tetrahedral first-order opal voids filled by sodium chloride. It was found that the value of κ _ph ^op (T) in this temperature region depends substantially on the dimensions of the bottlenecks, whose thicknesses are related to the amount of the cristobalite forming in a near-surface layer of the amorphous SiO₂ opal spheres in the course of preparation of the opal + NaCl nanocomposite.     

Thermal conductivity of HgSe loaded in the pore lattice of a synthetic opal single crystal

Samples of the opal + HgSe nanocomposite with 100% filling of the first-order opal pores by mercury selenide were prepared. The effective thermal conductivity κ_eff and electrical resistivity ρ_eff were measured in the temperature range T=5–200 K, and the thermopower coefficient α was measured in the interval 80–300 K. The coefficient α of HgSe in opal was shown to remain the same as that in bulk mercury selenide samples with similar carrier concentrations. The mechanism of carrier scattering in the HgSe loaded in opal also did not change. The total thermal conductivity κ _tot ⁰ and electrical resistivity ρ⁰ were isolated from κ_eff and ρ_eff, and the electronic (κ _e ⁰ ) and lattice (κ _ph ⁰ ) components of thermal conductivity of HgSe in opal were determined. The magnitude of κ _ph ⁰ was found to be considerably smaller than κ_ph of bulk HgSe with the same carrier concentration throughout the temperature interval studied (5–200 K). For T>20 K, this behavior of κ _ph ⁰ (T) is accounted for by the presence of specific impurities and defects forming in HgSe, and for T<20 K, by the onset of boundary scattering of phonons in the bottlenecks of the horn-shaped channels connecting first-order octahedral and tetrahedral opal pores loaded by mercury selenide.     

Thermal conductivity of high-porosity biocarbon precursors of white pine wood

This paper reports on measurements of the thermal conductivity κ and the electrical conductivity σ of high-porosity (cellular pores) biocarbon precursors of white pine tree wood in the temperature range 5–300 K, which were prepared by pyrolysis of the wood at carbonization temperatures (T _carb) of 1000 and 2400°C. The x-ray structural analysis has permitted the determination of the sizes of the nanocrystallites contained in the carbon framework of the biocarbon precursors. The sizes of the nanocrystallites revealed in the samples prepared at T _carb = 1000 and 2400°C are within the ranges 12–35 and 25–70 Å, respectively. The dependences κ(T) and σ(T) are obtained for samples cut along the tree growth direction. As follows from σ(T) measurements, the biocarbon precursors studied are semiconducting. The values of κ and σ increase with increasing carbonization temperature of the samples. Thermal conductivity measurements have revealed that samples of both types exhibit a temperature dependence of the phonon thermal conductivity κ_ph, which is not typical of amorphous (and amorphous to x-rays) materials. As the temperature increases, κ_ph first varies proportional to T, to scale subsequently as ～T ^1.7. The results obtained are analyzed.     

Unusual behavior of the lattice thermal conductivity and of the Lorenz number in the YbIn<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Cu<Subscript>4+<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> system

Samples of various compositions were obtained in the homogeneity range of the Yb-In-Cu system (YbIn_1?xCu_4+x), from stoichiometric (YbInCu₄) to YbIn_0.905Cu_4.095. Their lattice constant (at 300 K and in the range 20–100 K), total thermal conductivity, and electrical resistivity (from 4 to 300 K) were measured. All the compositions studied exhibited an isostructural phase transition at T _v ?40–80 K driven by a change in the Yb ion valence state. It was shown that within the YbIn_1?xCu_4+x homogeneity range, the lattice thermal conductivity κ_ph decreases with increasing x; at T>T _v , κ_ph grows with temperature and the Lorenz number (which enters the Wiedemann-Franz law for the electronic component of thermal conductivity) of the light heavy-fermion system, to which YbIn_1?xCu_4+x belongs for T<T _v , behaves as it does in classical heavy-fermion systems. Thermal cycling performed through T _v generates stresses in the YbIn_1?xCu_4+x lattice, which entails an increase in the electrical resistivity and a decrease in the thermal conductivity. “Soft anneal” (prolonged room-temperature aging of samples) makes the effect disappear. A conclusion is drawn as to the nature of the effects observed.     

Thermal conductivity of partially graphitized biocarbon obtained by carbonization of medium-density fiberboard in the presence of a Ni-based catalyst

The thermal conductivity k and resistivity ρ of biocarbon matrices, prepared by carbonizing medium-density fiberboard at T _carb = 850 and 1500°C in the presence of a Ni-based catalyst (samples MDF-C( Ni)) and without a catalyst (samples MDF-C), have been measured for the first time in the temperature range of 5–300 K. X-ray diffraction analysis has revealed that the bulk graphite phase arises only at T _carb = 1500°C. It has been shown that the temperature dependences of the thermal conductivity of samples MDFC- 850 and MDF-C-850(Ni) in the range of 80–300 K are to each other and follow the law of k(T) ～ T ^1.65, but the use of the Ni-catalyst leads to an increase in the thermal conductivity by a factor of approximately 1.5, due to the formation of a greater fraction of the nanocrystalline phase in the presence of the Ni-catalyst at T _carb = 850°C. In biocarbon MDF-C-1500 prepared without a catalyst, the dependence is k(T) ～ T ^1.65, and it is controlled by the nanocrystalline phase. In MDF-C-1500(Ni), the bulk graphite phase formed increases the thermal conductivity by a factor of 1.5–2 compared to the thermal conductivity of MDF-C-1500 in the entire temperature range of 5–300 K; k(T = 300 K) reaches the values of ～10 W m^–1 K^–1, characteristic of biocarbon obtained without a catalyst only at high temperatures of T _carb = 2400°C. It has been shown that MDF-C-1500(Ni) in the temperature range of 40?300 K is characterized by the dependence, k(T) ～ T ^1.3, which can be described in terms of the model of partially graphitized biocarbon as a composite of an amorphous matrix with spherical inclusions of the graphite phase.     

Low-temperature anomalies in the specific heat and thermal conductivity of MgB<Subscript>2</Subscript>

The temperature dependences of the specific heat C(T) and thermal conductivity K(T) of MgB₂ were measured at low temperatures and in the neighborhood of T _c . In addition to the well-known superconducting transition at T _c ≈40 K, this compound was found to exhibit anomalous behavior of both the specific heat and thermal conductivity at lower temperatures, T≈10–12 K. Note that the anomalous behavior of C(T) and K(T) is observed in the same temperature region where MgB₂ was found to undergo negative thermal expansion. All the observed low-temperature anomalies are assigned to the existence in MgB₂ of a second group of carriers and its transition to the superconducting state at T_c2≈10?12 K.     

Temperature Dependence of the Thermal Conductivity of a Trapped Dipolar Bose-Condensed Gas

The thermal conductivity of a trapped dipolar Bose condensed gas is calculated as a function of temperature in the framework of linear response theory. The contributions of the interactions between condensed and noncondensed atoms and between noncondensed atoms in the presence of both contact and dipole-dipole interactions are taken into account to the thermal relaxation time, by evaluating the self-energies of the system in the Beliaev approximation. We will show that above the Bose-Einstein condensation temperature (T?>?T _BEC ) in the absence of dipole-dipole interaction, the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity reduces to that of an ideal Bose gas. In a trapped Bose-condensed gas for temperature interval k _B T?<<?n ₀ g _B , E _p ?<<?k _B T (n ₀ is the condensed density and g _B is the strength of the contact interaction), the relaxation rates due to dipolar and contact interactions between condensed and noncondensed atoms change as \( {\tau}_{dd12}^{-1}\propto {e}^{-E/{k}_BT} \) and τ _c12?∝?T ^?5, respectively, and the contact interaction plays the dominant role in the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity, which leads to the T ^?3 behavior of the thermal conductivity. In the low-temperature limit, k _B T?<<?n ₀ g _B , E _p ?>>?k _B T, since the relaxation rate \( {\tau}_{c12}^{-1} \) is independent of temperature and the relaxation rate due to dipolar interaction goes to zero exponentially, the T ² temperature behavior for the thermal conductivity comes from the thermal mean velocity of the particles. We will also show that in the high-temperature limit (k _B T?>?n ₀ g _B ) and low momenta, the relaxation rates \( {\tau}_{c12}^{-1} \) and \( {\tau}_{dd12}^{-1} \) change linearly with temperature for both dipolar and contact interactions and the thermal conductivity scales linearly with temperature.     

Anomalous low-temperature behavior of the thermal characteristics of MgB<Subscript>2</Subscript>

We have studied the behavior of the thermal expansion coefficient α(T) (in a zero magnetic field and at H≈4 T), the heat capacity C(T), and the thermal conductivity κ(T) of magnesium boride (MgB₂) in the vicinity of T_c and at lower temperatures. It was established that MgB₂, like oxide-based high-temperature superconductors, exhibits a negative thermal expansion coefficient at low temperatures. The anomaly of α(T) in MgB₂ is significantly affected by the magnetic field. It was established that, in addition to the well-known superconducting transition at T_c≈40 K, MgB₂ exhibits an anomalous behavior of both heat capacity and thermal conductivity in the region of T≈10–12 K. The anomalies of C(T) and κ(T) take place in the same temperature interval where the thermal expansion coefficient of MgB₂ becomes negative. The low-temperature anomalies are related to the presence of a second group of charge carriers in MgB₂ and to an increase in the density of the Bose condensate corresponding to these carriers at T_c2≈10–12 K.     

Superconducting Properties of Indium Nanostructured in Pores of Thin Films of SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Microspheres

Samples of a superconducting indium nanocomposite based on a thin-film porous dielectric matrix prepared by the Langmuir–Blodgett method are obtained for the first time, and their low-temperature electrophysical and magnetic properties are studied. Films with thickness b ≤ 5 μm were made from silicon dioxide spheres with diameter D = 200 and 250 nm; indium was introduced into the pores of the films from the melt at a pressure of P ≤ 5 kbar. Thus, a three-dimensional weakly ordered structure of indium nanogranules was created in the pores, forming a continuous current-conducting grid. Measurements of the temperature and magnetic field dependences of the resistance and magnetic moment of the samples showed an increase in the critical parameters of the superconductivity state of nanostructured indium (critical temperature T_c ≤ 3.62 K and critical magnetic field H_c at T = 0 K H_c(0) ≤ 1700 Oe) with respect to the massive material (T_c = 3.41 K, H_c(0) = 280 Oe). In the dependence of the resistance on temperature and the magnetic field, a step transition to the superconductivity state associated with the nanocomposite structure was observed. A pronounced hysteresis M(H) is observed in the dependence of the magnetic moment M of the nanocomposite on the magnetic field at T < T_c, caused by the multiply connected structure of the current-conducting indium grid. The results obtained are interpreted taking into account the dimensional dependence of the superconducting characteristics of the nanocomposite.     

Sequence of phase transitions in a quasi-one-dimensional β-Na<Subscript>0.33</Subscript>V<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>5</Subscript> compound with variable valence

The thermal properties—specific heat, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion coefficients—of a single crystal of quasi-one-dimensional variable-valence β-Na_0.33V₂O₅ compound were studied. With lowering temperature, it sequentially undergoes the structural (T _S ～ 230 K), charge (T _C ～ 136 K), and magnetic (T _N ～ 22 K) phase transitions. The structural transition at T _S , resulting in the ordering of the Na ions, and the charge ordering at T _C , resulting in the charge redistribution over the positions of V ions, are accompanied by the anomalies in the temperature dependences of all the studied properties. The magnetic ordering at T _N results in the appearance of the canted antiferromagnetic structure and manifests itself only in the anomaly in the temperature dependences of the thermal expansion coefficients.     

Low-temperature thermal conductivity of tellurium-doped bismuth

Phonon thermal conductivities κ₂₂ (?T ‖ C1) and κ₃₃ (? T ‖ C₃) of tellurium-doped bismuth with an electron concentration in the range 1.8 × 10¹⁹ ≤ n_L ≤ 1.4 × 10²⁰ cm^?3 were studied in the temperature interval 2 < T < 300 K. The temperature dependence of the phonon thermal conductivity obtained on doped bismuth samples of both orientations exhibits two maxima, one at a low temperature and the other at a high temperature. The effect of various phonon relaxation mechanisms on the dependence of both phonon thermal conductivity maxima on temperature, impurity concentration, and electron density is studied.     

Low-Temperature Transport Properties of Lanthanum Hexaboride La<Subscript>1–<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>Ce<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript>B<Subscript>6</Subscript> Single Crystals

Resistivity (ρ), thermal conductivity (k) and Seebeck coefficient (S) of La_1–xCe_xB₆ single crystals with various concentrations of cerium Ce ions was measured in a wide temperature range 3?300 K. The obtained data were analyzed in the framework of the Coqblin–Shrieffer model. The contributions of scattering of carriers on magnetic ions Ce for all transport parameters ρ(T), k(T), S(T) are revealed. Strong dependence of the magnetic scattering on concentration of the cerium ions are identified. The anomalous behavior of the transport parameters ρ(T), k(T), S(T) in the region near 30 K is attributed to the Δ ~ 30 K splitting of Г₈ level.     

A new critical point in the non-linear conductivity due to variable range hopping in Si

A critical point in the non-linear conductivity has been observed in epitaxial silicon in the variable range hopping regime, due to a negative differential resistance with a dc bias currentI _dc. This gives thermal breakdown via the electron-phonon coupling and circuit-limited oscillations with a frequencyf∝I _dc, below a critical temperatureT _c. This critical behaviour is intrinsic, and forR(T)=R ₀ exp(T ₀ /T)^1/2 we show thatT _c=0.00512T ₀.     

Superconductor-insulator transition tuned by annealing in Bi-film on top of Co-clusters

We deposited amorphous Bi films with a thickness between 3 and 6.5 nm at 4.2 K on top of previously deposited Co clusters having a mean size of ～4.5 nm. The Co cluster layers thickness was between 2.3 and 5 nm. In-situ electrical transport measurements were performed between 2 and 100 K. Measurements on as-prepared samples having a Bi layer thickness of 3.0 nm show hopping (tunneling) conductivity as σ(T) = σ ₀ exp[?(T ₀/T)^1/2] above the superconducting transition temperature T _C and re-entrance behavior again with hopping (tunneling) conductivity below T _C . Annealing of films having a Bi layer thickness of 5.5 nm results in a decrease of resistivity, with variable-range hopping conduction behavior as σ(T) = σ ₀ exp[?(T ₀/T)^1/3 ]. Quite different are the findings for films having a Bi layer thickness of 6.5 nm: annealing of these films results in a power-law behavior as σ(T) = σ ₀ T ^α with α = 2/3, indicating that these films are close to a quantum critical point separating superconducting and insulating phases. A phase diagram including all experimental observations is proposed.     

The anisotropic conductivity of two-dimensional electrons on a half-filled high Landau evel

We study the conductivity of two-dimensional interacting electrons on the half-filled Nth Landau level with N?1 in the presence of quenched disorder. The existence of the unidirectional charge-density wave state at temperature T<T _c , where T _c is the transition temperature, leads to the anisotropic conductivity tensor. We find that the leading anisotropic corrections are proportional to (T _c ?T)/T _c just below the transition, in accordance with the experimental findings. Above T _c , the correlations corresponding to the unidirectional charge-density wave state below T _c result in corrections to the conductivity proportional to \(\sqrt {{{T_c } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{T_c } {T - T_c }}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {T - T_c }}} \).     

Pseudogap and its temperature dependence in YBCO from the data of resistance measurements

The temperature dependence of the excess conductivity Δσ for Δσ = A(1 ? T/T^*)exp(Δ^*/T) (YBCO) epitaxial films is analyzed. The excess conductivity is determined from the difference between the normal resistance extrapolated to the low-temperature range and the measured resistance. It is demonstrated that the temperature dependence of the excess conductivity is adequately described by the relationship Δσ = A(1 ? T/T^*)exp(Δ^*/T). The pseudogap width and its temperature dependence are calculated under the assumption that the temperature behavior of the excess conductivity is associated with the formation of the pseudogap at temperatures well above the critical temperature T _c of superconductivity. The results obtained are compared with the available experimental and theoretical data. The crossover to fluctuation conductivity near the critical temperature T _c is discussed.     

Structural and thermal properties of the opal-epoxy resin nanocomposite

Thermal conductivity of the opal-epoxy resin nanocomposite is measured in the range 4.2–250 K, and the material is studied by electron microscopy at 300 K. An analysis of the electron microscope images permits a conclusion on the character of opal void filling by the epoxy resin. It is shown that the thermal conductivity of the nanocomposite within the range 40–160 K can be fitted fairly well by the corresponding standard expressions for composites. For T<40 K and T>160 K, the experimental values of the nanocomposite thermal conductivity deviate strongly from the calculated figures.     

X-ray study of [N(CH<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>4</Subscript>]<Subscript>2</Subscript>ZnCl<Subscript>4</Subscript> at low temperatures

The unit cell parameters a, b, and c of [N(CH₃)₄]₂ZnCl₄ have been measured by x-ray diffraction in the temperature range 80–293 K. Temperature dependences of the thermal expansion coefficients α_a, α_b, and α_c along the principal crystallographic axes and of the unit cell thermal expansion coefficient α_V were determined. It is shown that the a=f(T), b=f(T), and c=f(T) curves exhibit anomalies in the form of jumps at phase transition temperatures T₁=161 K and T₂=181 K and that the phase transition occurring at T₃=276 K manifests itself in the a=f(T) and b=f(T) curves as a break. A slight anisotropy in the coefficient of thermal expansion of the crystal was revealed. The phase transitions occurring at T₁=161 K and T₂=181 K in [N(CH₃)₄]₂ZnCl₄ were established to be first-order.     

Glass formation in amorphous SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript> as a percolation phase transition in a system of network defects

Thermodynamic parameters of defects (presumably, defective SiO molecules) in the network of amorphous SiO₂ are obtained by analyzing the viscosity of the melt with the use of the Doremus model. The best agreement between the experimental data on viscosity and the calculations is achieved when the enthalpy and entropy of the defect formation in the amorphous SiO₂ network are H _d =220 kJ/mol and S _d =16.13R, respectively. The analysis of the network defect concentration shows that, above the glass-transition temperature (T _g ), the defects form dynamic percolation clusters. This result agrees well with the results of molecular dynamics modeling, which means that the glass transition in amorphous SiO₂ can be considered as a percolation phase transition. Below T _g , the geometry of the distribution of network defects is Euclidean and has a dimension d=3. Above the glass-transition temperature, the geometry of the network defect distribution is non-Euclidean and has a fractal dimension of d _f =2.5. The temperature T _g can be calculated from the condition that percolation arises in the defect system. This approach leads to a simple analytic formula for the glass-transition temperature: T _g =H _d /((S _d +1.735R). The calculated value of the glass-transition temperature (1482 K) agrees well with that obtained from the recent measurements of T _g for amorphous SiO₂ (1475 K).