Controlling Thermal Conductivity of Few-Layer Graphene Nanoribbons by Using the Transversal Pressure

We study the thermal transport of few-layer graphene nanoribbons in the presence of the transversal pressure by using molecular dynamics simulations. It is reported that the pressure can improve the thermal conductivity of few-layer graphene nanoribbons. This improvement can reach 37.5% in the low temperature region. The pressure dependence of thermal conductivity is also investigated for different length, width and thickness of few-layer graphene. Our results provide an alternative option to tuning thermal conductivity of few-layer graphene nanoribbons. Furthermore, it maybe indicate a so-called pressure-thermal effect in nanomaterials.