Abstract
Thermoelastic modeling at nanoscale is becoming more important as devices shrink and heat sources are more widely used in modern industries, such as nanoelectromechanical systems. However, the conventional thermoelastic theories are no longer applicable in high-temperature settings. This study provides an insight into the thermomechanical features of a nonlocal viscous half-space exposed to a cyclic heat source. Using a novel concept of fractional derivatives, introduced by Atangana and Baleanu, it is assumed that the viscoelastic properties follow the fractional Kelvin-Voigt model. The nonlocal differential form of Eringen's nonlocal theory is employed to consider the impact of small-scale behavior. It is also proposed that the rule of dual-phase thermal conductivity can be generalized to thermoelastic materials to include the higher-order time derivatives. The numerical results for the examined physical variables are presented using the Laplace transform technique. Furthermore, several numerical analyses are performed in-depth, focusing on the effects of nonlocality, structural viscoelastic indicator, fractional order, higher-order and phase-lag parameters on the behavior of the nanoscale half-space. According to the presented findings, it appears that the higher-order terms have a major impact on reactions and may work to mitigate the impact of thermal diffusion. Furthermore, these terms provide a novel approach to categorize the materials based on their thermal conductivities.