Abstract
To probe the effect of particle size on thermal conductivity (k) enhancement in nanofluids, especially in a very large particle size range, we study the cluster size-dependent k in novel nanofluids containing magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoclusters. The Fe3O4 nanoclusters in the size range of 115 to 530 nm were synthesized by a facile and cost-effective solvothermal approach. The structural, surface, and magnetic characteristics of Fe3O4 nanoclusters were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Thermal conductivity studies in diethylene glycol (DEG)-based Fe3O4 cluster nanofluids showed an enhancement in k with an increase in nanocluster size. With a fixed volume fraction (ϕ) = 0.0193, the k enhancement was about 5.3% and 12.6%, respectively, for nanofluids having cluster size of 115 and 530 nm. The observed increase in nanofluid k with increase...
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