Phononic metamaterials and methods for reducing the group velocities and the thermal conductivity in at least partially crystalline base material are provided, such as for thermoelectric energy conversion. In one implementation, a method for reducing thermal conductivity through an at least partially crystalline base material is provided. In another implementation, a phononic metamaterial structure is provided. The phononic metamaterial structure in this implementation includes: an at least partially crystalline base material configured to allow a plurality of phonons to move to provide thermal conduction through the base material; and at least one material coupled (e.g., as an inclusion, extending substructure, outer matrix, a coating to heavy inner inclusion, etc.) to the at least partially crystalline base material via at least one relatively compliant or soft material (e.g., graphite, rubber or polymer). The inclusion, extending substructure matrix or coating material is configured to generate at least one vibration mode by the oscillation of at least one atom within the resonating material to interact with the plurality of phonons moving within the base material and slow group velocities of at least a portion of the interacting phonons and reduce thermal conductivity through the base material.

An integrated heat sink article composed of a heat collection member and at least one heat dissipation member integral to the heat collection member, wherein the heat collection member is configured to be in thermal contact with a heat source, collects heat from the heat source, and dissipates heat through the at least one heat dissipation member, and further wherein the heat sink is formed of a nano graphene platelet-reinforced composite having nano graphene platelets or sheets (NGPs) as a first reinforcement phase dispersed in a matrix material and the first reinforcement phase occupies a weight fraction of 1-90% based on the total composite weight. Preferably, these NGPs, alone or in combination with a second reinforcement phase, are bonded by an adhesive and constitute a continuous 3-D network of electron- and phonon-conducting paths.

The present invention relates to CNT filled polymer composite system possessing a high thermal conductivity and high temperature stability so that it is a highly thermally conductive for use in 3D and 4D integration for joining device sub-laminate layers. The CNT/polymer composite also has a CTE close to that of Si, enabling a reduced wafer structural warping during high temperature processing cycling. The composition is tailored to be suitable for coating, curing and patterning by means conventionally known in the art.

A complex includes a flat plate-like metal fine particle formed of at least one type of metal or a compound thereof and at least one piece of finely-disintegrated cellulose combined with the flat plate-like metal fine particle. At least a part of each piece of the finely-disintegrated cellulose is incorporated into the flat plate-like metal fine particle, and a remaining part is exposed from a surface of the flat plate-like metal fine particle.

The disclosure relates to a biomimetic limb and robot using the same. The biomimetic limb includes: an arm and a biomimetic hand connected to the arm and including at least one biomimetic finger. The biomimetic finger includes a carbon nanotube layer and a vanadium dioxide layer (VO.sub.2) layer stacked with each other. Because the drastic, reversible phase transition of VO.sub.2, the biomimetic finger has giant deformation amplitude and fast response. An robot using the biomimetic limb is also provided.

An optical component, for example a lens, integrally formed of a nano/nano class nanocomposite optical ceramic (NNCOC) material. The constituent nanograin materials of the NNCOC material are selected to tailor the thermal and optical properties of the lens so as to provide a lens with a substantially constant focal length over an operating temperature range and/or an optical system in which the image position does not change appreciably over the operating temperature range.

The present invention relates to CNT filled polymer composite system possessing a high thermal conductivity and high temperature stability so that it is a highly thermally conductive for use in 3D and 4D integration for joining device sub-laminate layers. The CNT/polymer composite also has a CTE close to that of Si, enabling a reduced wafer structural warping during high temperature processing cycling. The composition is tailored to be suitable for coating, curing and patterning by means conventionally known in the art.

Phononic metamaterials and methods for reducing the group velocities and the thermal conductivity in at least partially crystalline base material are provided, such as for thermoelectric energy conversion. In one implementation, a method for reducing thermal conductivity through an at least partially crystalline base material is provided. In another implementation, a phononic metamaterial structure is provided. The phononic metamaterial structure in this implementation includes: an at least partially crystalline base material configured to allow a plurality of phonons to move to provide thermal conduction through the base material; and at least one disordered (e.g., amorphous) material coupled (e.g., as an inclusion, extending substructure, outer matrix, a coating to heavy inner inclusion, etc.) to the at least partially crystalline base material. The at least one disordered material is configured to generate at least one vibration mode by the oscillation of at least one atom within the disordered material to interact with the plurality of phonons moving within the base material and slow group velocities of at least a portion of the interacting phonons and reduce thermal conductivity through the base material.

A thermal interface material (TIM) using high thermal conductivity nano-particles, particularly ones with large aspect ratios, for enhancing thermal transport across boundary or interfacial layers that exist at bulk material interfaces is disclosed. At least one of the interfacial layers is a vertically aligned metal nanowire array. The nanoparticles do not need to be used in a fluid carrier or as filler material within a bonding adhesive to enhance thermal transport, but simply in a dry solid state. The nanoparticles may be equiaxed or acicular in shape with large aspect ratios like nanorods and nanowires.

A complex includes a flat plate-like metal fine particle formed of at least one type of metal or a compound thereof and at least one piece of finely-disintegrated cellulose combined with the flat plate-like metal fine particle. At least a part of each piece of the finely-disintegrated cellulose is incorporated into the flat plate-like metal fine particle, and a remaining part is exposed from a surface of the flat plate-like metal fine particle.