Heat transfer at nano-scale and boundary conditions: a comparison between the Guyer-Krumhansl model and the Thermomass theory

Abstract In this paper we deepen into the influence of the boundary conditions on the heat-flux behavior in the case of thin nanowires. We compare the evolution of an initially inhomogeneous heat flux between two systems at the same (constant) temperature according to two theoretical models, one only emphasizing the role played by the non-local effects, and the other only accounting for the influence of the non-linear effects. It is found that non-local effects yield a monotonic trend toward the equilibrium, whereas non-linear effects yield an oscillating trend. The behavior of the entropy in both cases is analyzed as well.