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Thermal conductivity of aligned polymers with kinks
Igor V Parshin1, Igor V Rubtsov1, Alexander L Burin1
1Department of Chemistry, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70118, USA.
The Journal of Chemical Physics
|June 22, 2026
Summary
Aligned polymers exhibit superdiffusive heat transport at long lengths, scaling with L1/3. Thermal conductivity shows complex behavior at shorter scales due to phonon scattering from kinks and Anderson localization.
Area of Science:
- Polymer physics
- Condensed matter physics
- Materials science
Background:
- Aligned polymer molecules possess high thermal conductivity along the alignment direction.
- Thermal conductivity is sensitive to molecular conformation, particularly gauche kinks.
- Understanding phonon transport in polymers is crucial for thermal management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To theoretically investigate phonon transport in kinked polymers.
- To numerically evaluate thermal conductivity and analyze phonon scattering.
- To elucidate microscopic mechanisms governing heat transport in polymers.
Main Methods:
- Numerical evaluation of thermal conductivity.
- Theoretical investigation of phonon transport.
- Analysis of phonon scattering from randomly distributed kinks.
Main Results:
- Superdiffusive heat transport observed at long lengths (κ ∝ L1/3) in strongly aligned polymers.
- Non-monotonic thermal conductivity behavior at shorter lengths.
- Increase at very short scales (ballistic transport), decrease at intermediate scales (Anderson localization).
Conclusions:
- Kinks significantly impact phonon transport and thermal conductivity in aligned polymers.
- Results align with experimental and molecular dynamics simulation findings.
- Provides insights into heat transport mechanisms in polymeric materials.
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