Gold/Oil Nanofluids Stabilized by a Gemini Surfactant and Their Catalytic Property

Abstract

With surfactants, butanediyl-1,4-bis(dimethylcetyl ammonium bromide) (16–4–16), and N,N-dimethylhexadecylamine (C16DMA), as the stabilizers and surface-modified reagents, stable oil-based nanofluids containing hydrophobic gold nanoparticles have been prepared. The gemini surfactant 16–4–16 shows better performance than C16DMA for controlling the growth of gold particles. The gold nanoparticles modified by 16–4–16 are dispersed well in oil-based fluids. The nanofluids can be treated as pseudohomogeneous catalyst systems. The viscosities at different temperatures of the nanofluids containing the surface-modified gold nanoparticles with the gemini surfactant 16–4–16 are measured. Catalytic cracking of tricycle [5.2.1.02.6] decane (JP-10) with surface-modified gold nanoparticles as the catalyst has been investigated. The catalytic cracking exhibits clearly enhanced conversion in comparison with the thermal cracking.