A novel approach for engineering efficient nanofluids by radiolysis

This contribution reports for the first time the possibility of using radiolysis to engineer stable efficient nanofluids which exhibit an enhanced thermal conductivity. The validation was confirmed on Ag-H₂O and Ag-C₂H₆O₂ nanofluids fabricated via g-radiolysis within the mild dose range of 0.95 × 10³-2.45 × 10³ Gray. The enhanced thermal conductivity of Ag-H₂O and Ag-C₂H₆O₂ nanofluids, was found to be g-radiations dose dependent. In the latter case of Ag-C₂H₆O₂ nanofluid, the relative enhancement in the temperature range of 25-50 °C was found to be 8.89%, 11.54%, 18.69%, 23.57% and 18.45% for D₁ = 0.95 × 10³ Gray, D₂ = 1.2 × 10³ Gray, D₃ = 1.54 × 10³ Gray, D₄ = 1.80 × 10³ Gray and D₅ = 2.45 × 10³ Gray respectively. Yet not optimized, an enhancement of the effective thermal conductivity as much as 23.57% relatively to pure C₂H₆O₂ was observed in stable Ag-C₂H₆O₂ nanofluids. Equivalent results were obtained with Ag-H₂O.