Science Daily September 30, 2021
An international team of researchers (USA – University of Chicago, University of Illinois, Cornell University, Sweden) stacked ultra-thin layers of crystalline sheets on top of each other, but rotated each layer slightly, creating a material with atoms that are aligned in one direction but not in the other. They measured the results and found that a microscopic wall made of this material was extremely good at preventing heat from moving between compartments. They could transport heat along the wall very easily. Making computer chips smaller creates a high-power density environment. But if we can use a material that can both conduct heat and insulate heat at the same time in different directions, heat can be siphoned off from the heat source. They tested the layering technique in molybdenum disulfide. According to the researchers this mechanism should be general across many others. The work opens new directions for making exotic thermal conductors…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Structure of r-TMD films. Credit: Nature volume 597, pages 660–665 (2021)Â