Insights from modeling into structure, entanglements, and dynamics in attractive polymer nanocomposites.

Experimental investigation and model development for effective viscosity of MgO–ethylene glycol nanofluids by using dimensional analysis, FCM-ANFIS and GA-PNN techniques

Empirical correlating equations for predicting the effective thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity of nanofluids

Natural convection in a square cavity containing a nanofluid and an adiabatic square block at the center

The present study incorporates laminar natural convection and entropy generation in Rayleigh–Benard (R–B) convection with air, water and alumina–water nanofluid as working fluids. The fluid flow and energy equations are solved using D2Q9 and D2Q5 LBM models, respectively. The effects of Rayleigh numbers (Ra = 5 × 103, 104, 105) and volume fractions ( $$\emptyset$$ = 0 to 0.08) of nanoparticles on heat transfer and irreversibility are investigated. Results show that the heat transfer evaluated based on Nusselt number is enhanced due to addition of nanoparticles in the base fluid. The maximum enhancement in Nusselt number is found to be 13.93% at Ra = 105 with 8% of nanoparticle in base fluid. The various irreversibilities considered in this study are thermal, fluid flow and total irreversibility, where fluid flow and total irreversibilities in the study depend on irreversibility ratio. The irreversibility ratios taken into account are 10–2, 10–3, 10–4 and 10–5. One facet of study shows the deviation in onset of critical Rayleigh number for air is 1.58%. The other facet indicates dimensionless heat transfer, fluid flow and total irreversibility decrease with the increase in volume fraction of nanoparticles in the base fluid. The analyzed results of irreversibilities are presented in normalized form. In addition, dimensionless entropy generation maps and Bejan number contours are also plotted.

Coarse-grained (CG) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed to study the insertion of cyclic peptide nanotubes into cell membranes and to examine whether cyclic peptide nanotubes can function as an ion channel and thereby as an antibacterial agent. To do so, the two coarse-grained (CG) models for lipid molecules and for proteins developed by Marrink et al. (J. Phys. Chem. B 2004, 108, 750) and by Shih et al. (J. Phys. Chem. B 2006, 110, 3674), respectively, were extended and modified. These CG models were verified by performing CG MD and all-atom (AA) MD simulations for a cyclic peptide nanotube, 8 x cyclo[(-d-Ala-l-Glu-d-Ala-l-Gln-)2], in water and by comparing the results from the two simulations. Comparison between static and dynamic (water transport) properties obtained from both simulations shows good agreement. To study nanotube insertion, a CG cyclic peptide nanotube, 8 x cyclo[(-Trp-d-Leu-)4], was prepared above the surface of a CG DPPC lipid bilayer, restrained with constraints, and equilibrated, and then a series of CG MD simulations were carried out by lifting the constraints imposed on the nanotube. The CG MD simulations show that the cyclic peptide nanotube spontaneously inserts into and reorients inside the lipid bilayer. After insertion, the long axis of the cyclic peptide nanotube is aligned approximately perpendicular to the bilayer plane indicating that the nanotube can function as an ion channel and as an antibacterial agent. Tilt structures of the cyclic peptide nanotubes inside the lipid bilayer are found to be in agreement with experiment and earlier AA simulations. Lipid flip-flop, a migration of lipid molecules from one leaflet to the other leaflet of the lipid bilayer, is also observed from the CG MD simulations. Finally, the CG MD simulations reveal that a lipid headgroup can be inserted into the cyclic peptide nanotube. This process is confirmed by an AA MD simulation.

Phase-change materials (PCMs) are of broad interest for thermal storage and management applications. For energy-dense storage with fast thermal charging/discharging rates, a PCM should have a suitable melting temperature, large enthalpy of fusion, and high thermal conductivity. To simultaneously accomplish these traits, we custom design nanocomposites consisting of phase-change Bi nanoparticles embedded in an Ag matrix. We precisely control nanoparticle size, shape, and volume fraction in the composite by separating the nanoparticle synthesis and nanocomposite formation steps. We demonstrate a 50-100% thermal energy density improvement relative to common organic PCMs with equivalent volume fraction. We also tune the melting temperature from 236-252 °C by varying nanoparticle diameter from 8.1-14.9 nm. Importantly, the silver matrix successfully prevents nanoparticle coalescence, and no melting changes are observed during 100 melt-freeze cycles. The nanocomposite's Ag matrix also leads to very high thermal conductivities. For example, the thermal conductivity of a composite with a 10% volume fraction of 13 nm Bi nanoparticles is 128 ± 23 W/m-K, which is several orders of magnitude higher than typical thermal storage materials. We complement these measurements with calculations using a modified effective medium approximation for nanoscale thermal transport. These calculations predict that the thermal conductivity of composites with 13 nm Bi nanoparticles varies from 142 to 47 W/m-K as the nanoparticle volume fraction changes from 10 to 35%. Larger nanoparticle diameters and/or smaller nanoparticle volume fractions lead to larger thermal conductivities.

The enhancement of the thermal conductivity of ethylene glycol in the presence of copper oxide (CuO) is investigated. CuO nanofluids are prepared in a two‐step method. No surfactant is employed as a dispersant. The volume fraction of CuO nanoparticles suspended in ethylene glycol liquid is below 5 vol.‐%. The crystalline phases of the CuO powders are measured with x‐ray diffraction patterns (XRD). CuO nanoparticles are examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine their microstructure. The thermal conductivities of the CuO suspensions are measured by a modified transient hot wire method. The viscosity was measured with a viscosity instrument. The results show that CuO nanofluids with low concentrations of nanoparticles have considerably higher thermal conductivities than the identical ethylene glycol base liquids without solid nanoparticles. The thermal conductivity ratio improvement for CuO nanofluids is approximately linear with the volume fraction of nanoparticles. For CuO nanoparticles at a volume fraction of 0.05 (5 vol‐.%) thermal conductivity was enhanced by up to 22.4 %. CuO nanofluids thus have good potential for effective heat transfer applications.

In the present study, the flow field and heat transfer have been simulated numerically inside a channel. The channel is under the constant heat flux. The main objective of this research is investigating the effect of the arrangement of the porous medium in water/Al2O3 nanofluid inside the channel on the flow and heat transfer characteristics. The effect of various arrangements of porous medium with two porosities and different volume fractions of nanoparticles has been investigated in a constant cross section of the porous medium. The results are validated with other references, and excellent consistency has been seen. The results show that using the porous medium has more effect on heat transfer than using nanofluid, and the arrangement of the porous medium has a strong influence on temperature profile and heat transfer. Based on the results, using stair arrangement of porous medium with the distance of 30 cm from each other and the length of 30 cm and using nanofluid with 0.02 volume fraction of Al2O3 nanoparticles have better performance than other considered arrangements.

Neutronic analysis of a VVER-1000 reactor with nanofluid as coolant through zeroth order average current nodal expansion method

With the porous medium-filling inclined channels, we investigate the nanoparticle sphericity of Cu-Al2O3-H2O hybrid nanofluid flows. We consider the constant flow rate through the channels as well as the uniform heat flux on wall channels. We provide analytical solutions for both the velocity and temperature fields. Several parameters are considered in the analytical solutions, including the mixed convection variable, the Peclet number, the channel tilt angle, and nanoparticle sphericity and volume fractions. The significant findings of this study are that the effective thermal conductivity increases when increasing the temperature in the same nanoparticle volume fractions. Nanoparticles with a smaller average sphericity size have a greater specific surface area and contain a greater concentration of small particles, which enhances the internal heat transfer of nanofluids. The other noteworthy observation of this study is that when the nanoparticle volume fraction increases from 0.1 to 0.2, although the heat transfer enhancement rate has slowed down, it has also increased by about 25%. The hybrid nanofluids have suitable stability, and the enhanced heat transfer effect is better with the increase in nanoparticle compositions.

This paper presents the analysis of transfer of heat and mass characteristics in boundary layer flow of incompressible magnetohydrodynamic Maxwell nanofluid with thermal radiation effects confined by exponentially shrinking geometry. The effects of Brownian motion and thermophoresis are incorporated using Buongiorno model. The partial differential equations of the governing model are converted in non-dimensional track which are numerically inspected with proper appliances of Runge–Kutta fourth order scheme.The significant effects of heat and mass fluxes on the temperature and nanoparticles volume fractions are investigated. By the increases in Lewis number between 1.0 to 2.0, the decrease in nanoparticle volume fraction and temperature is noted. With the change in the Prandtl constant that varies between 0.7 to 1.5, the nanoparticles volume fraction and temperature are dwindled. Nanoparticles volume fraction and temperature distribution increase is noted with applications of radiation constant. With consequent variation of thermophoresis parameter between 0.1 to 0.8, nanoparticles volume fraction and temperature distribution increases. It is also noted that the increase in thermophoresis parameter and Brownian parameter from 0.1 to 0.8, nanoparticles volume fraction decreases while temperature distribution increases.

A new diagnostic for volume fraction measurement of metal-oxide nanoparticles in flames using phase-selective laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Importance of the volume fraction and particle density of Ag nanoparticles to the coupling process of relief-type Ag/SiO2 nanocomposite grating coupler

The development of modern technology in microelectronics and power engineering requires the creation of efficient cooling systems. This is made possible by the use of special fin technology inside the cavity or special heat transfer Ethylene glycol-copper nanofluids to intensify the heat removal from the heat-generating elements. A numerical study of the natural convection of stationary laminar heat transfers in a closed rectangular cavity with a local source of internal volumetric heat generation. For different Rayleigh numbers and different volume fractions of nanoparticles. The system of equations governing the problem was solved numerically by the fluent computer code based on the method of finite volumes. Based on the Boussinesq approximation. Interior and exterior surfaces are maintained at a constant temperature. The study is carried out for Rayleigh numbers ranging from 104 to 106. The effects of different Rayleigh numbers and volume fractions of nanoparticles on natural convection have been studied. The results are presented as isotherms, isocurrents, and local and mean Nusselt numbers. The aim of this study is to see the influence of the thermal Rayleigh number and the volume fraction of the nanoparticles on the rate of heat transfer.

Heat transfer enhancement in horizontal annuli using variable thermal conductivity and variable viscosity of CuO-water nanofluid is investigated numerically. The base case of simulation used thermal conductivity and viscosity data that consider temperature property dependence and nanoparticle size. It was observed that for Ra≥104, the average Nusselt number was deteriorated by increasing the volume fraction of nanoparticles. However, for Ra=103, the average Nusselt number enhancement depends on aspect ratio of the annulus as well as volume fraction of nanoparticles. Also, for Ra=103, the average Nusselt number was less sensitive to volume fraction of nanoparticles at high aspect ratio and the average Nusselt number increased by increasing the volume fraction of nanoaprticles for aspect ratios ≤0.4. For Ra≥104, the Nusselt number was deteriorated everywhere around the cylinder surface especially at high aspect ratio. However, this reduction is only restricted to certain regions around the cylinder surface for Ra=103. For Ra≥104, the Maxwell–Garnett and the Chon et al. conductivity models demonstrated similar results. But, there was a deviation in the prediction at Ra=103 and this deviation becomes more significant at high volume fraction of nanoparticles. The Nguyen et al. data and the Brinkman model give completely different predictions for Ra≥104, where the difference in prediction of the Nusselt number reached 50%. However, this difference was less than 10% at Ra=103.