Symmetry properties of heat conduction in inhomogeneous materials.
We address the analysis of the energy flow properties of lattice Hamiltonian systems: precisely, we investigate, by using analytical methods, a schematically anharmonic and inhomogeneous model: namely, the chain of oscillators with self-consistent reservoirs. We obtain a symmetric thermal conductivity even for a system with inhomogeneous interparticle interactions or with graded particle masses. Our results show that inhomogeneity in a system obeying Fourier's law does not guarantee an asymmetric heat flow, and they pose the question if only anharmonicity and inhomogeneity are sufficient to assure a significative thermal rectification in a system, as suggested in the recent literature for graded structures.
Pereira
Emmanuel
E
Departamento de Física-ICEx, UFMG, CP 702, 30.161-970 Belo Horizonte MG, Brazil. emmanuel@fisica.ufmg.br
Lemos
Humberto C F
HC