Asymmetric energy transport in defected boron nitride nanoribbons: Implications for thermal rectification

Using molecular dynamics simulations, the thermal transport properties of boron nitride nanoribbons (BNNR) containing geometrically-asymmetric triangular nano-vacancies were investigated. By suitably interpreting the time-evolution of spatially decomposed heat-current autocorrelation function in terms of phonon propagation characteristics, we have demonstrated the possibility of observing defect induced direction-dependent thermal transport in BNNR. This was further confirmed by appropriate analysis of direction dependent thermal diffusivity estimations in BNNR.