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Nanomaterials
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Low-Dimensional Materials: Thermal Characterization, Thermal Devices, and Thermal Management
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Low-Dimensional Materials: Thermal Characterization, Thermal Devices, and Thermal Management

A special issue of Nanomaterials (ISSN 2079-4991). This special issue belongs to the section "Nanofabrication and Nanomanufacturing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 June 2026 | Viewed by 8522

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Xiangjun Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Mechanical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
Interests: micro–nano manufacturing technology in micro-devices; micro–nano electromechanical system; AI sensor and integrated circuit
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yunshan Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Phonon Engineering Research Center of Jiangsu Province, Center for Quantum Transport and Thermal Energy Science, Institute of Physics Frontiers and Interdisciplinary Sciences, School of Physics and Technology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
Interests: nanoscale heat transfer and energy conversion; mesoscopic material thermophysical properties and interfacial heat transfer; research on thermal transport and thermoelectric properties of two-dimension
Dr. Yucheng Xiong

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Micro/Nano Electromechanical System and Integrated Circuit, College of Mechanical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
Interests: micro/flexible thermoelectric devices; photoelectric sensors; thermal management of electronic devices; measurement and control of thermal properties at micro and nano scales and interfaces

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid advancement in electronics, optoelectronics, and energy-storage technologies has spurred an unprecedented demand for efficient thermal management solutions. As devices become increasingly compact and powerful, traditional bulk materials often fall short in effectively dissipating heat, leading to thermal bottlenecks that compromise performance and reliability. Low-dimensional materials, including 1D, 2D, and quasi-2D materials, have emerged as promising candidates with which to address these challenges due to their exceptional thermal properties. These materials exhibit unique thermal conductivities, anisotropic heat transfer characteristics, and interfacial transport behaviors, making them suitable for next-generation thermal management applications. This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in thermal issues in low-dimensional materials, including thermal characterization, thermal devices, and thermal management applications. It seeks to bring together cutting-edge research that advances both fundamental understanding and practical applications of these materials in various thermal devices as well as thermal management scenarios. The scope of the Special Issue encompasses a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to,

  • Theoretical and experimental studies on the thermal properties of 1D and 2D materials;
  • Advances in the synthesis of low-dimensional materials with tuned thermal properties;
  • Interface engineering in low-dimensional material heterostructures to optimize heat dissipation;
  • Novel applications of low-dimensional materials in thermal interface materials (TIMs), heat spreaders, and thermoelectric devices;
  • Multiscale modeling and simulation approaches to predict thermal behavior in low-dimensional systems;
  • Integration strategies of low-dimensional materials in electronics, optoelectronics, and energy devices for improved thermal management.

We are soliciting high-quality original research papers, comprehensive review articles, and perspective pieces that provide deep insights into these areas. We particularly encourage interdisciplinary submissions that bridge material science, physics, engineering, and applied mathematics, pushing the frontiers of thermal devices as well as thermal management technologies and paving the way for future innovations.

Prof. Dr. Xiangjun Liu
Prof. Dr. Yunshan Zhao
Dr. Yucheng Xiong
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • low-dimensional materials
  • thermal conductivity
  • heat dissipation
  • heat transfer
  • thermal devices
  • thermal management
  • phonon transport
  • interfacial thermal transport
 

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 3074 KB  
Article
A Method for Preparing Diamond Films with High Thermal Stability
by Xia Zhao, Chao Han, Xin Jia and Zifeng Fan
Nanomaterials 2025, 15(21), 1606; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15211606 - 22 Oct 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1033
Abstract
Due to the outstanding thermal stability of diamond film, diamond films have extensive application prospects in fields such as electronics, optics, biomedicine, and aerospace, and are one of the important materials driving the development of modern science and technology. Moreover, the cost of [...] Read more.
Due to the outstanding thermal stability of diamond film, diamond films have extensive application prospects in fields such as electronics, optics, biomedicine, and aerospace, and are one of the important materials driving the development of modern science and technology. Moreover, the cost of single-crystal diamond substrates is high, and it is difficult to achieve large-scale batch production. A direct current arc plasma jet chemical vapor deposition method, combined with post-treatment steps such as nano-diamond seed crystal implantation, surface modification, and high-temperature annealing, is used to prepare high-quality diamond films. The relationship between the thermal conductivity and optical properties of diamond films is analyzed in detail. The experimental results showed that diamond film has a relatively smooth surface, with a surface roughness that can reach 3 nm. As the temperature rises, diamond films exhibit good crystal orientation and thermal stability, the FWHM of reflection peaks become smaller, and thermal conductivity can reach 1734 W/(m·K). The infrared testing analysis also confirmed that the diamond film has excellent thermal diffusion properties. When the diamond film is applied to power device chips, it can effectively reduce the junction temperature of 30 °C. The preparation method proposed in this paper is expected to break through the cost and scale limitations of high-performance diamond films, thereby promoting the wide application of diamond films in industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Dimensional Materials: Thermal Characterization, Thermal Devices, and Thermal Management)
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15 pages, 2521 KB  
Article
Interface-Driven Electrothermal Degradation in GaN-on-Diamond High Electron Mobility Transistors
by Huanran Wang, Yifan Liu, Xiangming Dong, Abid Ullah, Jisheng Sun, Chuang Zhang, Yucheng Xiong, Peng Gu, Ge Chen and Xiangjun Liu
Nanomaterials 2025, 15(14), 1114; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15141114 - 18 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1884
Abstract
Diamond is an attractive substrate candidate for GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMT) to enhance heat dissipation due to its exceptional thermal conductivity. However, the thermal boundary resistance (TBR) at the GaN–diamond interface poses a significant bottleneck to heat transport, exacerbating self-heating and limiting device [...] Read more.
Diamond is an attractive substrate candidate for GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMT) to enhance heat dissipation due to its exceptional thermal conductivity. However, the thermal boundary resistance (TBR) at the GaN–diamond interface poses a significant bottleneck to heat transport, exacerbating self-heating and limiting device performance. In this work, TCAD simulations were employed to systematically investigate the effects of thermal boundary layer (TBL) thickness (dTBL) and thermal conductivity (κTBL) on the electrothermal behavior of GaN-on-diamond HEMTs. Results show that increasing the TBL thickness (5–20 nm) or decreasing its thermal conductivity (0.1–1.0 W/(m·K)) leads to elevated hotspot temperatures and degraded electron mobility, resulting in a notable deterioration of I–V characteristics. The nonlinear dependence of device performance on κTBL is attributed to Fourier’s law, where heat flux is inversely proportional to thermal resistance. Furthermore, the co-analysis of substrate thermal conductivity and interfacial quality reveals that interface TBR has a more dominant impact on device behavior than substrate conductivity. Remarkably, devices with low thermal conductivity substrates and optimized interfaces can outperform those with high-conductivity substrates but poor interfacial conditions. These findings underscore the critical importance of interface engineering in thermal management of GaN–diamond HEMTs and provide a theoretical foundation for future work on phonon transport and defect-controlled thermal interfaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Dimensional Materials: Thermal Characterization, Thermal Devices, and Thermal Management)
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Review

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25 pages, 15359 KB  
Review
Start-Up Circuits for Ultra-Low-Voltage Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting: A Topology-Oriented Review and Design Guide
by Muhammad Ali, S. Jarjees Ul Hassan and Sungbo Cho
Nanomaterials 2026, 16(10), 586; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16100586 - 11 May 2026
Viewed by 425
Abstract
Thermoelectric generator (TEG)-based energy harvesting (EH) has emerged as a promising solution for powering ultra-low-power electronic systems. However, the inherently low output voltage of miniature TEGs is often below a range of 40–100 mV under small temperature gradients, presenting a fundamental cold-start challenge [...] Read more.
Thermoelectric generator (TEG)-based energy harvesting (EH) has emerged as a promising solution for powering ultra-low-power electronic systems. However, the inherently low output voltage of miniature TEGs is often below a range of 40–100 mV under small temperature gradients, presenting a fundamental cold-start challenge for DC-DC boost converters, preventing fully autonomous operation without dedicated start-up circuitry. Although numerous start-up techniques have been reported, the existing literature lacks a focused, design-oriented review of circuit architecture specifically optimized for ultra-low-voltage TEG applications. This paper addresses this gap by introducing a unified classification framework and providing a structured, topology-oriented analysis of state-of-the-art start-up strategies for TEG-based EH systems. Reported techniques are organized into five categories: external energy assistance, mechanical switch-assisted techniques, multi-source EH, transformer-based architectures, and oscillator-driven DC-AC-DC conversion. Each category is comparatively evaluated in terms of start-up voltage, integration level, efficiency, and system autonomy. Among these, oscillator-based approaches, particularly ring oscillator (RO) architectures, emerge as the most viable pathway toward fully integrated and scalable implementations, owing to their CMOS compatibility and architectural flexibility. The review further discusses key design trade-offs, handover stability challenges, and practical limitations, and provides architectural insights to guide the development of next-generation autonomous TEG-powered platforms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Dimensional Materials: Thermal Characterization, Thermal Devices, and Thermal Management)
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31 pages, 3326 KB  
Review
Polyoxometalates (POMs) Memristors/Neuromorphic Devices: From Structure Engineering to Material and Function Integration
by Jufang Hu, Shengzhang Xu and Yanfang Meng
Nanomaterials 2026, 16(7), 425; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16070425 - 31 Mar 2026
Viewed by 858
Abstract
The advancement of artificial intelligence and information technologies has presented higher demands on neuromorphic computing information devices, entailing the emergence of next-generation devices. Polyoxometalates (POMs) are emerging as promising molecular nanomaterials for next-generation neuromorphic computing, providing distinct advantages over conventional metal oxides. In [...] Read more.
The advancement of artificial intelligence and information technologies has presented higher demands on neuromorphic computing information devices, entailing the emergence of next-generation devices. Polyoxometalates (POMs) are emerging as promising molecular nanomaterials for next-generation neuromorphic computing, providing distinct advantages over conventional metal oxides. In contrast to bulk oxides that suffer from stochastic filament formation and device-to-device variability, POMs possess atomically precise structures with discrete, multi-electron redox states that enable highly reproducible and deterministic resistive switching. Their molecular nature allows for stable, multi-level data representation through stepwise reduction in metal centers (e.g., V, W, Mo) and the emulation of essential synaptic plasticity functions. Furthermore, the exceptional structural and chemical tunability of POMs favors covalent or supramolecular functionalization, enabling precise engineering of the POM-electrode interface and controlled self-assembly on surfaces. This molecular precision not only addresses the scalability challenges of traditional memristors but also unlocks unique functionalities, such as multimodal switching coupled with visible chromic response for state visualization. Taking the advantages of intermolecular crosstalk and countercation dynamics, POM-based networks offer a pathway toward constructing three-dimensional neuronal architectures, effectively connecting molecular redox chemistry to advanced high-density neuromorphic computing paradigms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Dimensional Materials: Thermal Characterization, Thermal Devices, and Thermal Management)
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31 pages, 5087 KB  
Review
Gallium-Based Liquid Metals: From Fundamental Properties to State-of-the-Art Applications
by Min Zhang, Peiying Liao, Yuanming Cao, Tingting Sun and Xuanyong Liu
Nanomaterials 2026, 16(3), 198; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano16030198 - 2 Feb 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1281
Abstract
The rapid advancement of flexible and stretchable electronics has raised new demands for conductive materials with high conductivity and excellent mechanical properties. Compared to traditional conductive materials, gallium-based liquid metals exhibit a compelling set of attributes—including intrinsic deformability, high conductivity, good thermal conductivity, [...] Read more.
The rapid advancement of flexible and stretchable electronics has raised new demands for conductive materials with high conductivity and excellent mechanical properties. Compared to traditional conductive materials, gallium-based liquid metals exhibit a compelling set of attributes—including intrinsic deformability, high conductivity, good thermal conductivity, and a liquid state at or near room temperature—that address the critical requirements for conductors in flexible and stretchable electronics. However, the broader application of gallium-based liquid metals is limited by intrinsic challenges, such as oxidation tendency and high surface tension, while their multifunctional potential remains to be fully explored and developed. This paper provides a comprehensive review of gallium-based liquid metals, spanning from their fundamental concepts including intrinsic properties and processing characteristics (oxidative layer/droplet engineering) and functionalization techniques to their diverse applications in flexible electronics. It concisely summarizes key factors, existing issues, and challenges encountered during the design, research, and application of gallium-based liquid metals, aiming to provide guidance and assistance for subsequent research and applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Dimensional Materials: Thermal Characterization, Thermal Devices, and Thermal Management)
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27 pages, 8301 KB  
Review
Recent Advances in Nano-Engineered Thermochemical Energy Storage Materials: Morphologies, Characteristics, and Performance
by Zhu Jiang, Wenye Li, Bohao Peng, Shifang Huang and Xiaosong Zhang
Nanomaterials 2025, 15(19), 1476; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15191476 - 26 Sep 2025
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2200
Abstract
Thermochemical energy storage (TCES) has gained significant attention as a high-capacity, long-duration solution for renewable energy integration, yet material-level challenges hinder its widespread adoption. This review for the first time systematically examines recent advancements in nano-engineered composite thermochemical materials (TCMs), focusing on their [...] Read more.
Thermochemical energy storage (TCES) has gained significant attention as a high-capacity, long-duration solution for renewable energy integration, yet material-level challenges hinder its widespread adoption. This review for the first time systematically examines recent advancements in nano-engineered composite thermochemical materials (TCMs), focusing on their ability to overcome intrinsic limitations of conventional systems. Sorption-based TCMs, especially salt hydrates, benefit from nano-engineering through carbon-based additives like CNTs and graphene, which enhance thermal conductivity and reaction kinetics while achieving volumetric energy densities exceeding 200 kWh/m3. For reversible reaction-based systems operating at higher temperatures (250–1000 °C), the strategies include (1) nanoparticle doping (e.g., SiO2, Al2O3, carbonaceous materials) for the mitigation of sintering and agglomeration; (2) flow-improving agents to enhance fluidization; and (3) nanosized structure engineering for an enlarged specific surface area. All these approaches show promising results to address the critical issues of sintering and agglomeration, slow kinetics, and poor cyclic stability for reversible reaction-based TCMs. While laboratory results are promising, challenges still persist in side reactions, scalability, cost reduction, and system integration. In general, while nano-engineered thermochemical materials (TCMs) demonstrate transformative potential for performance enhancement, significant research and development efforts remain imperative to bridge the gap between laboratory-scale achievements and industrial implementation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Dimensional Materials: Thermal Characterization, Thermal Devices, and Thermal Management)
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