Molecular dynamics simulation is used to examine the thermal slip of liquids at rough solid surfaces as characterized by fractal Cantor structures. The temperature profiles, potential energy distributions, thermal slip, and interfacial thermal resistance are investigated and evaluated for a variety of surface topographies. In addition, the effects of liquid-solid interaction, surface stiffness, and boundary condition on thermal slip length are presented. Our results indicate that the presence of roughness expands the low potential energy regions in adjacent liquids, enhances the energy transfer at liquid-solid interface, and decreases the thermal slip. Interestingly, the thermal slip length and thermal resistance for liquids in contact with solid surfaces depends not only on the statistical roughness height, but also on the fractal dimension (i.e., topographical spectrum).

• Received 13 July 2012
• Revised 8 January 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.89.062407