Xiangying Shen

Temperature-Dependent Transformation Thermotics: From Switchable Thermal Cloaks to Macroscopic Thermal Diodes.

The macroscopic control of ubiquitous heat flow remains poorly explored due to the lack of a fundamental theoretical method. Here, by establishing temperature-dependent transformation thermotics for treating materials whose conductivity depends on temperature, we show analytical and simulation evidence for switchable thermal cloaking and a macroscopic thermal diode based on the cloaking. The latter allows heat flow in one direction but prohibits the flow in the opposite direction, which is also confirmed by our experiments. Our results suggest that the temperature-dependent transformation thermotics could be a fundamental theoretical method for achieving macroscopic heat rectification, and it could provide guidance both for the macroscopic control of heat flow and for the design of the counterparts of switchable thermal cloaks or macroscopic thermal diodes in other fields like seismology, acoustics, electromagnetics, and matter waves.

Temperature Trapping: Energy-Free Maintenance of Constant Temperatures as Ambient Temperature Gradients Change.

It is crucial to maintain constant temperatures in an energy-efficient way. Here we establish a temperature-trapping theory for asymmetric phase-transition materials with thermally responsive thermal conductivities. Then we theoretically introduce and experimentally demonstrate a concept of an energy-free thermostat within ambient temperature gradients. The thermostat is capable of self-maintaining a desired constant temperature without the need of consuming energy even though the environmental temperature gradient varies in a large range. As a model application of the concept, we design and show a different type of thermal cloak that has a constant temperature inside its central region in spite of the changing ambient temperature gradient, which is in sharp contrast to all the existing thermal cloaks. This work has relevance to energy-saving heat preservation, and it provides guidance both for manipulating heat flow without energy consumption and for designing new metamaterials with temperature-responsive or field-responsive parameters in many disciplines such as thermotics, optics, electromagnetics, acoustics, mechanics, electrics, and magnetism.

Converting the patterns of local heat flux via thermal illusion device

Since the thermal conduction equation has form invariance under coordinate transformation, one can design thermal metamaterials with novel functions by tailoring materials’ thermal conductivities. In this work, we establish a different transformation theory, and propose a layered device with anisotropic thermal conductivities. The device is able to convert heat flux from parallel patterns into non-parallel patterns and vice versa. In the mean time, the heat flux pattern outside the device keeps undisturbed as if this device is absent. We perform finite-element simulations to confirm the converting behavior. This work paves a different way to manipulate the flow of heat at will.

Thermal cloak-concentrator

How to macroscopically control the flow of heat at will is up to now a challenge, which, however, is very important for human life since heat flow is a ubiquitous phenomenon in nature. Inspired by intelligent electronic components or intelligent materials, here we demonstrate, analytically and numerically, a unique class of intelligent bifunctional thermal metamaterials called thermal cloakconcentrators, which can automatically change from a cloak (concentrator) to a concentrator (cloak) when the applied temperature field decreases (increases). For future experimental realization, the behavior is also confirmed by assembling homogeneous isotropic materials according to the effective medium theory. The underlying mechanism originates from the effect of nonlinearity in thermal conduction. This work not only makes it possible to achieve a switchable Seebeck effect, but also offers guidance both for macroscopic manipulation of heat flow at will and for the design of similar intelligent multifunctional metamaterials in optics, electromagnetics, acoustics, or elastodynamics. Electronic address: jphuang@fudan.edu.cn Electronic address: niyushan@fudan.edu.cnFor macroscopically manipulating heat flow at will, thermal metamaterials have opened a practical way, which possesses a single function, such as either cloaking or concentrating the flow of heat even though environmental temperature varies. By developing a theory of transformation heat transfer for multiple functions, here we introduce the concept of intelligent thermal metamaterials with a dual function, which is in contrast to the existing thermal metamaterials with single functions. By assembling homogeneous isotropic materials and shape-memory alloys, we experimentally fabricate a kind of intelligent thermal metamaterials, which can automatically change from a cloak (or concentrator) to a concentrator (or cloak) when the environmental temperature changes. This work paves an efficient way for a controllable gradient of heat, and also provides guidance both for arbitrarily manipulating the flow of heat and for efficiently designing similar intelligent metamaterials in other fields.

Engineering the accurate distortion of an object’s temperature-distribution signature

It is up to now a challenge to control the conduction of heat. Here we develop a method to distort the temperature distribution signature of an object at will. As a result, the object accurately exhibits the same temperature distribution signature as another object that is predetermined, but actually does not exist in the system. Our finite element simulations confirm the desired effect for different objects with various geometries and compositions. The underlying mechanism lies in the effects of thermal metamaterials designed by using this method. Our work is of value for applications in thermal engineering.

Thermal metamaterial for convergent transfer of conductive heat with high efficiency

It is crucially important to focus conductive heat in an efficient way, which has received much attention in energy science (say, solar cells), but is still far from being satisfactory due to the diffusive (divergent) nature of the heat. By developing a theory with hybrid transformations (rotation and stretch-compression), here we provide theoretical and experimental evidences for a type of thermal metamaterial called thermal converger. The converger is capable of convergently conducting heat in contrast to the known divergent behavior of heat diffusion, thus yielding a large heating region with high temperatures close to the heat source (high efficiency). The thermal converger further allows us to design a thermal grating—a thermal counterpart of optical grating. This work has relevance to heat focus with high efficiency, and it offers guidance both for efficient heat transfer and for designing thermal-converger-like metamaterials in other fields, such as electrics/magnetics, electromagnetics/optics, aco...

Asymmetric and symmetric meta-correlations in financial markets*

In financial markets, the relation between fluctuations of stock prices and trading behaviors is complex. It is intriguing to quantify this kind of meta-correlation between market fluctuations and the synchronous behaviors. We refine the theoretical index leverage model proposed by Reigneron et al., to exactly quantify the meta-correlation under various levels of price fluctuations [Reigneron P A, Allez R and Bouchaud J P 2011 Physica A 390 3026]. The characteristics of meta-correlations in times of market losses, are found to be significantly different in Chinese and American financial markets. In addition, unlike the asymmetric results at the daily scale, the correlation behaviors are found to be symmetric at the high-frequency scale.

Transformation thermotics: Thermal metamaterials and their applications

In this paper, we review some recent achievements in thermal metamaterials, including novel thermal devices, simplified experimental method, macroscopic thermal diode based on temperature-dependent transformation thermotics, and the important role that soft matters play in the experimental confirmations of thermal metamaterials. These works pave the developments in transformation mapping theory and can surely inspire more designs of thermal metamaterials. What is more, some approaches provide more flexibility in controlling heat flow, and they may also be useful in other fields that are closely related to temperature gradient, such as the Seebeck effect and many other domains where transformation theory is valid.

Multiferroic property of colloidal crystals with three-dimensional solid-solid phase transitions

It is a challenge to understand the dynamics of ubiquitous solid-solid phase transi- tions in three dimensions. In this direction, colloidal crystals are often adopted as a model system for investigation, because they contain highly ordered arrays of colloidal microparticles, analogous to atomic or molecular counterparts with appropriate scaling. Here, by resorting to the Ewald- Kornfeld formulation, we describe a type of solid-solid phase transitions from the body-centered tetragonal lattice, to the face-centered cubic lattice, and then to subsequent lattices, which have been experimentally demonstrated in electro-magnetorheological fluids (which contain suspended microparticles enabling the formation of crystalline structures) subjected to crossed electric and magnetic fields. As a result, we find that each lattice exhibits specific multiferroic properties at room temperature. The findings are further confirmed by independent finite-element simula- tions. Despite some limitations (e.g., the specific value of change in magnetization is small during phase transitions), this work suggests a way to real-time measure the microscopic dynamics of three-dimensional solid-solid phase transitions in colloidal crystals by detecting their multiferroic properties. Copyright c EPLA, 2015