Specific heat of single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract

The specific heat of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT's) is studied theoretically in this paper. Making use of the continuum model, phonon dispersion relations are derived numerically and analytically. Finally, expressions for specific heat versus temperature are derived theoretically, and we find that the lattice wave propagating along the length of the SWNT plays the principle role in deciding the value of the specific heat. Our theoretical results agree well with experimental data [Science 289,1730 (2000)].