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Title: Excitation Processes in Ceramics and Anomalous Increase in Thermal Conductivity at Elevated Temperatures

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1735754· OSTI ID:4180572

The problem of the anomalous increase in the observed thermal conductivity of single-phase ceramics at high temperatures is considered. At temperatures above the onset of this anomalous rise, account is taken of the possibility that phonon, electronic, and radiative heat transfer, as well as transport of thermal energy by electron-hole pairs, excitons, and dissociated gas molecules, may operate simultaneously and individually contribute significantly to the total heat flow. On the basis of reliable conductivity data on nonporous monocrystals of single-phase ceramics, estimations are made of the magnitades of these high-temperature components which reveal that excited states of low excitation energy may occur in certain ceramics. In these instances, such excited energy-carrying states are able to diffuse down the temperature gradient in the specimen thereby producing a non-negligible contribution to its observed thermal conductivity.

Research Organization:
Northwestern Univ., Evanston, Ill.
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
NSA Number:
NSA-14-017019
OSTI ID:
4180572
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 31, Issue 6; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-60; ISSN 0021-8979
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English