Nanomaterials (Sep 2020)

A Novel Experimental Study on the Rheological Properties and Thermal Conductivity of Halloysite Nanofluids

  • Thong Le Ba,
  • Ahmed Qani Alkurdi,
  • István Endre Lukács,
  • János Molnár,
  • Somchai Wongwises,
  • Gyula Gróf,
  • Imre Miklós Szilágyi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/nano10091834
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 9
p. 1834

Abstract

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Nanofluids obtained from halloysite and de-ionized water (DI) were prepared by using surfactants and changing pH for heat-transfer applications. The halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) nanofluids were studied for several volume fractions (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 vol%) and temperatures (20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 °C). The properties of HNTs were studied with a scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA). The stability of the nanofluids was proven by zeta potentials measurements and visual observation. With surfactants, the HNT nanofluids had the highest thermal conductivity increment of 18.30% for 1.5 vol% concentration in comparison with the base fluid. The thermal conductivity enhancement of nanofluids containing surfactant was slightly higher than nanofluids with pH = 12. The prepared nanofluids were Newtonian. The viscosity enhancements of the nanofluid were 11% and 12.8% at 30 °C for 0.5% volume concentration with surfactants and at pH = 12, respectively. Empirical correlations of viscosity and thermal conductivity for these nanofluids were proposed for practical applications.

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