Advances in thermal conductivity for energy applications: a review

Thermal conductivity is a crucial material property for a diverse range of energy technologies, ranging from thermal management of high power electronics to thermal insulation for building envelopes. This review discusses recent advances in achieving high and low thermal conductivity (k) as relevant for energy applications, from high-k heat spreaders to low-k insulation. We begin with a brief introduction to the physics of heat conduction from both theoretical and computational perspectives. The heart of the review is a survey of recent advances in high- and low-k materials. The discussion of good heat conductors for thermal management includes inorganics and polymers in both bulk and low dimensional forms. For insulators, the discussion covers the effects of chemical composition, crystal structure, and defects and porosity. Promising areas for future research in both fundamental materials science and engineering technologies are noted.