Generalized Debye-Peierls/Allen-Feldman model for the lattice thermal conductivity of low-dimensional and disordered materials

Abstract

We present a generalized model to describe the lattice thermal conductivity of low-dimensional (low-D) and disordered systems. The model is a straightforward generalization of the Debye-Peierls and Allen-Feldman schemes to arbitrary dimensions, accounting for low-D effects such as differences in dispersion, density of states, and scattering. Similar in spirit to the Allen-Feldman approach, heat carriers are categorized according to their transporting capacity as propagons, diffusons, and locons. The results of the generalized model are compared to experimental results when available, and equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations otherwise. The results are in very good agreement with our analysis of phonon localization in disordered low-D systems, such as amorphous graphene and glassy diamond nanothreads. Several unique aspects of thermal transport in low-D and disordered systems, such as milder suppression of thermal conductivity and negligible diffuson contributions, are captured by the approach.