Modeling of thermal conductivity of nanofiber-based nanocomposite

Two-dimensional composite materials made from aligned nano- and micro-fibers and wires hold great promise for various applications. We develop an analytical model for the thermal conductivity in the longitudinal direction of these composites by solving the phonon Boltzmann transport equation. The analytical model agrees well with a recently reported numerical model. The solution of Boltzmann transport equation shows that the scattering of phonons in the host medium at the fiber interface reduces the thermal conductivity of the host medium. Finally we show that the model predicts the data on the thermal diffusivity of bismuth-telluride nanowire/alumina composites reasonably