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The thermal conductivity of phononic-like membranes and their analogous nano-wires are computed with both Molecular Dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations. Using both methods, the thermal conductivity of the porous membranes with cylindrical pores is found to be lower than the nano-wire’s one for the same scattering surface to volume. This work confirms experimental observations by Nomura et al. (2015) and Yu et al. (2010) for similar systems. The lower thermal conductivity of membranes is attributed to the different orientation of the scattering surfaces either at the pores or at free surfaces and not to coherent effects. The comparison between the porous membranes and nano-wires with periodic cylindrical modulations shows that thermal transport is hindered further when there are surfaces perpendicular to the heat flow. These results show that coherent effects have no impact on thermal transport in both kind of nano-structures at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents literary criticism on the book "The Healing" by Gayl Jones. The author discusses the travails of the black female protagonist and narrator Harlan Eagleton. It is posited that the protagonist represents one of the novel's central themes which is described as a struggle for power couched as a contest over sequence. It is noted that the power of the novel comes from its analysis of the different ways individuals are taught to replicate oppressive structures in their own lives.

This paper investigates thermal transport in a nanocomposite system consisting of a porous silicon matrix filled with ionic liquid. Firstly, the thermal conductivity and heat capacity of two imidazolium and one ammonium ionic liquids were evaluated using the photoacoustic approach in piezoelectric configuration and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. Then, the thermal transport properties of the composite system "ionic liquid confined inside porous silicon matrix" were investigated with the photoacoustic approach in gas-microphone configuration. The results demonstrated a significant enhancement of the thermal conductivity of the composite system when compared to the individual components, i.e. (i) more than two times for pristine porous silicon and (ii) more than eight times for ionic liquids. These results provide new paths for innovative solutions in the field of thermal management, particularly in the development of highly efficient energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of the silicon devices contain amorphous phase and amorphous/crystalline interfaces which both considerably affect the transport of energy carriers as phonons and electrons. In this article, we investigate the impact of amorphous phases (both amorphous silicon and amorphous SiO2) of silicon nanoporous membranes on their thermal properties via molecular dynamics simulations. We show that a small fraction of amorphous phase reduces dramatically the thermal transport. One can even create nanostructured materials with subamorphous thermal conductivity, while keeping an important crystalline fraction. In general, the a-SiO2 shell around the pores reduces the thermal conductivity by a factor of five to ten compared to a-Si shell. The phonon density of states for several systems is also given to give the impact of the amorphisation on the phonon modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new generation of sensors can be engineered based on the sensing of several markers to satisfy the conditions of the multimodal detection principle. From this point of view, photoacoustic-based sensing approaches are essential. The photoacoustic effect relies on the generation of light-induced deformation (pressure) perturbations in media, which is essential for sensing applications since the photoacoustic response is formed due to a contrast in the optical, thermal, and acoustical properties. It is also particularly important to mention that photoacoustic light-based approaches are flexible enough for the measurement of thermal/elastic parameters. Moreover, the photoacoustic approach can be used for imaging and visualization in material research and biomedical applications. The advantages of photoacoustic devices are their compact sizes and the possibility of on-site measurements, enabling the online monitoring of material parameters. The latter has significance for the development of various sensing applications, including biomedical ones, such as monitoring of the biodistribution of biomolecules. To extend sensing abilities and to find reliable measurement conditions, one needs to clearly understand all the phenomena taking place during energy transformation during photoacoustic signal formation. Therefore, the current paper is devoted to an overview of the main measurement principles used in the photoacoustic setup configurations, with a special focus on the key physical parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract The hollowing of silicon membranes to form a lattice of cylindrical holes, also called phononic crystal, has been used by several experimental groups willing to fabricate efficient thermoelectric modules. The idea is to reduce the thermal conductivity without impacting the electronic conductivity. For several a priori identical materials, i.e. thin films containing periodic cylindrical holes, drastically different levels of thermal conductivity reduction have been reported in the literature: from 1–2 W K−1 m−1 to 15–40 W K−1 m−1, i. e. half the thermal conductivity of the plain membrane. These differences may be due to variations in the geometrical patterns, or to the technological processes specific to each group. It is therefore highly desirable to understand which level of reduction can be expected from the basic concept. In this work, we address the question by applying a fully atomistic framework, the approach-to-equilibrium molecular dynamics (AEMD), to study two deca-nanometric patterns used in the literature and reported respectively with a high and low level of thermal conductivity reduction. For both patterns, the thermal conductivity roughly decreases by a factor 2 only compared to the plain membrane. Thanks to Monte Carlo simulations, in agreement with AEMD for the two patterns, we propose that the origin of stronger reductions could be an increase of the surface roughness during the step of hole fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new generation of sensors can be engineered based on the sensing of several markers to satisfy the conditions of the multimodal detection principle. From this point of view, photoacoustic-based sensing approaches are essential. The photoacoustic effect relies on the generation of light-induced deformation (pressure) perturbations in media, which is essential for sensing applications since the photoacoustic response is formed due to a contrast in the optical, thermal, and acoustical properties. It is also particularly important to mention that photoacoustic light-based approaches are flexible enough for the measurement of thermal/elastic parameters. Moreover, the photoacoustic approach can be used for imaging and visualization in material research and biomedical applications. The advantages of photoacoustic devices are their compact sizes and the possibility of on-site measurements, enabling the online monitoring of material parameters. The latter has significance for the development of various sensing applications, including biomedical ones, such as monitoring of the biodistribution of biomolecules. To extend sensing abilities and to find reliable measurement conditions, one needs to clearly understand all the phenomena taking place during energy transformation during photoacoustic signal formation. Therefore, the current paper is devoted to an overview of the main measurement principles used in the photoacoustic setup configurations, with a special focus on the key physical parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principles of Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability (FAIR) have been put forward to guide optimal sharing of data. The potential for industrial and social innovation is vast. Domain-specific metadata standards are crucial in this context, but are widely missing in the energy sector. This report provides a collaborative response from the low carbon energy research community for addressing the necessity of advancing FAIR metadata standards. We review and test existing metadata practices in the domain based on a series of community workshops. We reflect the perspectives of energy data stakeholders. The outcome is reported in terms of challenges and elicits recommendations for advancing FAIR metadata standards in the energy domain across a broad spectrum of stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The purpose of this work is to predict the in-plane and cross-plane thermal properties of crystalline silicon films. Several thicknesses from 20 nm to 6 μm and mean temperatures between 20 and 500 K have been investigated. Heat transport properties in silicon films have been studied through three different techniques: a semi-analytical method based upon the Kinetic Theory, a deterministic solution of the Boltzmann Transfer Equation (BTE) through the Discrete Ordinate Method and a statistical handling of the BTE by means of Monte Carlo Method. Each technique requires a model for the bulk material dispersion curves and the collision times of the different scattering processes. The three techniques have been validated through their correct prediction of silicon bulk thermal conductivity. Comparisons with in-plane thermal conductivity calculations and measurements have been also discussed. Thus, the cross-plane thermal conduction properties have been predicted. The expected temperature and thickness variations of the thermal conduction properties have been observed: the cross-plane thermal conduction appears to be less efficient than the in-plane thermal conduction, which proves that a significant anisotropy exists. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Transient radiative and conductive heat transfer in a fibrous medium with anisotropic optical properties is investigated. Two different kinds of boundary conditions are treated: when the temperatures imposed on the boundaries vary with time and when the medium is subject to a radiation source which varies with time. A one dimensional case is considered. The non-linear transient Heat Conduction Equation is solved using the Kirchhoff transformation associated with a P2 finite elements method using a non-uniform spatial mesh. The Radiative Transfer Equation is solved using a direct method which is analytical in space whereas the spectral scattering and absorption coefficients as well as the phase function are determined using the Mie theory. This procedure is applied on the whole time domain. Finally, a realistic application to a fibrous insulation composed of silica fibers is treated numerically. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]