Tunable Multifunctional Thermal Metamaterials: Manipulation of Local Heat Flux via Assembly of Unit-Cell Thermal Shifters.

ABSTRACT: Thermal metamaterials, designed by transformation thermodynamics are artificial structures that can actively control heat flux at a continuum scale. However, fabrication of them is very challenging because it requires a continuous change of thermal properties in materials, for one specific function. Herein, we introduce tunable thermal metamaterials that use the assembly of unit-cell thermal shifters for a remarkable enhancement in multifunctionality as well as manufacturability. Similar to the digitization of a two-dimensional image, designed thermal metamaterials by transformation thermodynamics are disassembled as unit-cells thermal shifters in tiny areas, representing discretized heat flux lines in local spots. The programmed-reassembly of thermal shifters inspired by LEGO enable the f

SUBMITTER: Park G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5247738 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature