Thermal rectification induced by Wenzel-Cassie wetting state transition on nano-structured solid-liquid interfaces

Thermal rectification refers to the phenomenon by which the magnitude of the heat flux in one direction is much larger than that in the opposite direction. In this study, we propose to implement the thermal rectification phenomenon in an asymmetric solid-liquid-solid sandwiched system with a nano-structured interface. By using the non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, the thermal transport through the solid-liquid-solid system is examined, and the thermal rectification phenomenon can be observed. It is revealed that the thermal rectification effect can be attributed to the significant difference in the interfacial thermal resistance between Cassie and Wenzel states when reversing the temperature bias. In addition, effects of the liquid density, solid-liquid bonding strength and nanostructure size on the thermal rectification are examined. The findings may provide a new way for designs of certain thermal devices.

Automated summary

Thermal rectification, the phenomenon where the heat flux is much larger in one direction than in the opposite direction, is implemented in an asymmetric solid-liquid-solid sandwiched system with a nano-structured interface. Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the thermal rectification effect is due to the difference in interfacial thermal resistance between Cassie and Wenzel states when reversing the temperature bias. The effects of liquid density, solid-liquid bonding strength, and nanostructure size on thermal rectification are also examined, providing new insights for the design of thermal devices.