.png){kind=icon}
.png){kind=icon}
Return
ZnO nanorods dispersed in propylene glycol: morphology-induced modifications in thermal conductivity and viscosity
.png){kind=icon}
PRE
AI
N
K
H
L
J
R
DOI：10.1007/s42247-026-01500-w.png)
.png){kind=icon}
Original request for help.png){kind=icon}
Share.png){kind=icon}
Save
Abstract
En 中文
Propylene glycol (PG), an FDA-approved biocompatible coolant with antifreeze characteristics, is a suitable heat transfer fluid for low to moderate temperature thermal management applications. PG-based nanofluids have been envisioned for such applications, where safety and environmental compatibility are essential. In this work, ZnO nanorods of aspect ratio ranging from 10 to 17 were used for the formulation of ZnO–propylene glycol (ZPG) nanofluids at volume fractions ranging from 0.25 to 2 vol%. The thermophysical characteristics such as thermal conductivity (TC) and viscosity were measured varying ultrasonication time, ZnO nanorods concentration (0.25-2 vol%) and temperature. ZnO nanorods–propylene glycol nanofluids (ZnO(R)–PG) exhibited higher TC compared to propylene glycol and have negligible temperature dependence (~ 5% deviation) over 10–50 °C. The addition of ZnO nanorods decreased the viscosity of ZnO(R)–PG nanofluids (25% for 2 vol% nanofluid) due to ZnO nanorods interacting with this strongly hydrogen-bonded base fluid. A comparative assessment with previously reported PG-based nanofluids containing spherical ZnO, other metal oxides and carbon nanotubes further highlights the promising potential of the ZnO(R)–PG nanofluids with enhanced TC and reduced viscosity, especially at nanorods concentration < 0.5 vol%. Overall, ZnO nanorod–PG nanofluids place themselves as efficient candidates for glycol-based heat transfer fluids.
Keywords:
Sustainable thermal management systems
ZnO
Nanofluid
Morphology
Thermal conductivity
Viscosity
Mouromtseff number
Journal
E
IF:
4.1
Papers:
503
Citations:
2.8K
Organization
Cited Papers