Interface effect on thermal conductivity of carbon nanotube composites

A simple formula for the thermal conductivity enhancement in carbon nanotube composites is presented by incorporating the interface thermal resistance with an effective medium approach. This model well describes the thermal conductivity enhancement observed recently in nanotube suspensions. In particular, this simple formula predicts that a large interface thermal resistance across the nanotube-matrix interface causes a significant degradation in the thermal conductivity enhancement, even for the case with ultrahigh intrinsic thermal conductivity and aspect ratio of the carbon nanotubes embedded. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics.