Metal feels colder than wood because it rapidly transfers heat away from your body due to its dense atomic structure and free electrons. This efficient heat conduction triggers a stronger sensation of ...

The ability to conduct heat is one of the most fundamental properties of matter, crucial for engineering applications. Scientists know well how conventional materials, such as metals and insulators, ...

Engineers have flipped the picture of the standard polymer insulator, by fabricating thin polymer films that conduct heat -- an ability normally associated with metals. In experiments, they found the ...

Have you ever grabbed a metal doorknob on a chilly morning and recoiled from its icy touch, while the wooden frame beside it felt surprisingly warmer, even though both were at the same temperature?

Polymers are usually the go-to material for thermal insulation. Think of a silicone oven mitt, or a Styrofoam coffee cup, both manufactured from polymer materials that are excellent at trapping heat.