A METHOD OF PRODUCING NANOFLUIDS COMPRISING CARBON NANOTUBES (CNTs)

摘要

THE PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO METHOD OF PRODUCING NANOFLUIDS COMPRISING HOMOGENOUSLY AND STABLY DISPERSED CARBON NANOTUBES (CNTS) USING GUM ARABIC (GA) AS A DISPERSANT. THE CNTs CONCENTRATION IS VARIED FROM 0.01 TO 0.1 WT% OF TOTAL MASS OF THE NANOFLUIDS WHILE THE CONCENTRATION OF THE GA IS VARIED FROM 0.25 TO 5 WT% OF TOTAL MASS OF THE NANOFLUIDS. THE METHOD OF PRODUCING THE NANOFLUIDS INCLUDES THE STEPS OF DISSOLVING GUM ARABIC IN WATER FORMING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION AND ADDING CARBON NANOTUBES TO THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION. THE NANOFLUIDS IS HOMOGENIZED AND THEN SONICATED FOR A PERIOD BETWEEN 1 TO 24 HOURS. IT IS OBSERVED THAT ONLY 1 TO 2.5 WT% OF GA IS ENOUGH TO CREATE STABLE HOMOGENOUS CNTs DISPERSION. AS THE CONCENTRATION OF GA INCREASES, THE STABILITY OF THE CNTs DISPERSION DECREASES. GA HELPS IN STABILIZING THE CNTs DISPERSION AND PREVENTS DAMAGE TO THE CNTs. THE CARBON NANOTUBES USED CAN BE OF MULTI-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES OR SINGLE WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES. APPROXIMATELY 150-400% ENHANCEMENT IN THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY IS OBSERVED USING THE NANOFLUIDS CONTAINING STABLE AND HOMOGENOUS DISPERSED CARBON NANOTUBES. THE NANOFLUIDS OBTAINED IN THE PRESENT INVENTION ARE USED AS HEAT TRANSFER FLUID FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS SUCH AS AUTOMOTIVE, ELECTRONICS AND COOLING APPLICATIONS BECAUSE OF THEIR EXCELLENT THERMAL PERFORMANCE.