Preparation and thermal conductivity investigation of reduced graphene oxide-ZnO nanocomposite-based nanofluid synthesised by ultrasound-assisted method

ABSTRACT

Preparation of water-based nanofluid containing reduced graphene oxide-zinc oxide (rGO-ZnO) nanocomposite particles synthesised by ultrasonic-assisted method has been carried out in this work. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray pPhotoelectron sSpectroscopyand Raman spectroscopy were used to confirm the successful formation of the nanocomposite. The reduction of GO and attachment of the ZnO nanoparticles to it was evident from all the characterisation techniques. For 0.1 vol.% of rGO-ZnO nanocomposite-based nanofluid, the thermal conductivity was found to be 2.95 W/mK at 50°C. It further increased with increase in temperature and concentration of the nanofluid, for which a new correlation has been proposed, which can satisfactorily predict the behaviour. Also, comparison of thermal conductivity of rGO-ZnO nanocomposite-based nanofluid with nanofluids containing rGO, ZnO nanoparticles and other rGO-based nanocomposite particles has been done. This study suggests a possible application of the rGO-ZnO nanocomposite-based nanofluid for various heat transfer applications.

KEYWORDS:

• rGO-ZnO nanocomposite
• ultrasound assisted synthesis
• nanofluid
• thermal conductivity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB) [YSS/2014/000889, 2015].

Notes on contributors

Heena Mandhare

Heena Mandhare is currently working as a trainee engineer at IRCPL, Nagpur. She did B.Tech in Pulp & Paper technology, from Laxminarayan Institute of Technology, Nagpur in 2014. Her B.Tech project was based on effects of fillers & loading materials on boxboard. She did M.Tech in Chemical engineering from Laxminarayan Institute of Technology, Nagpur in 2017. Her M.Tech major project was based on heat transfer and thermal conductivity enhancement using graphene/ZnO nanofluid. Her current major research interests cover all aspects of nanofluids including, preparation of nanofluids using two or more nanoparticles, characterization, pressure drop calculations, heat transfer enhancement using heat exchanger and various application of nanofluids in heat transfer etc. Also waste water treatment, preparation of various types of papers, paper-sheets using different- different types of raw materials.

Divya P. Barai

Divya P. Barai is currently a Ph.D. scholar working on nanofluids under the supervision of Dr. Bharat A. Bhanvase at the Laxminarayan Institute of Technology, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur. She has completed her M. Tech in Chemical Engineering from Laxminarayan Institute of Technology, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur in 2018. As a part of her master’s degree, she studied various thermophysical properties and heat transfer applications of nanofluids. She received her B.Tech degree in Chemical Technology (Pulp and Paper Technology) from Laxminarayan Institute of Technology, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur in 2016. Her interests lie in the field of nanofluid synthesis and applications in heat transfer systems.

Bharat A. Bhanvase

Dr. Bharat A. Bhanvase is currently working as Professor and Head in Chemical Engineering Department at the Laxminarayan Institute of Technology, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. His research interests focused on Wastewater Treatment, Solid Waste Management, Cavitation based processes for production Nanomaterials and Nanocomposites, Process Intensification, Microfluidics, Nanofluids. He obtained Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from University of Pune. He has published 70 articles in international journal, 4 in national journal and presented 10 papers in international conference and 12 in national conference. He has written 32 book chapters in internationally renowned books, 3 edited book. He obtained one Indian patent and applied for 2 Indian Patents. He is recipient of Young Scientists (Award) start-up research grant from Science and Engineering Research Board, New Delhi (India) in the year 2015. Also he is recipient of Best Scientist Award from Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University in year 2017. He has guided 19 M. Tech. and currently 03 M Tech and 03 PhD students are working with him.