Design, synthesis, and characterization of stable copper nanofluid with enhanced thermal conductivity

Abstract

Nanofluids, which are liquids that contain small particles with dimensions in the nanometer range, have gained significant attention in recent years due to their enhanced thermal properties in various applications such as thermal management and energy conversion. This article aims to provide insights into the design and optimization of copper nanofluid synthesis and it investigates the thermal and rheological properties at varying concentrations of nanoparticles and temperature. The method involves simultaneous use of fructose as reducing agent and polyvinyl pyrrolidone as stabilizing agent to enable synthesis of copper nanofluid from copper sulphate. The resulting Newtonian nanofluid had a stability of 3 months with enhanced thermal conductivity of up to ∼500 % compared to 1:1 mixture of water and ethylene glycol which served as the base fluid. The approach is suitable for producing large volume of nanofluid using cost effective materials.