In this Brief, authors introduce the advance in theoretical and
experimental techniques for determining the thermal conductivity in
nanomaterials, and focus on review of their recent theoretical studies
on the thermal properties of silicon-based nanomaterials, such as
zero-dimensional silicon nanoclusters, one-dimensional silicon
nanowires, and graphenelike two-dimensional silicene. The specific
subject matters covered include: size effect of thermal stability and
phonon thermal transport in spherical silicon nanoclusters, surface
effects of phonon thermal transport in silicon nanowires, and defects
effects of phonon thermal transport in silicene. The results obtained
are supplemented by numerical calculations, presented as tables and
figures. The potential applications of these findings in nanoelectrics
and thermoelectric energy conversion are also discussed. In this regard,
this Brief represents an authoritative, systematic, and detailed
description of the current status of phonon thermal transport in
silicon-based nanomaterials. This Brief should be a highly valuable
reference for young scientists and postgraduate students active in the
fields of nanoscale thermal transport and silicon-based nanomaterials.