Experimental evaluation of the effect in the stability and thermophysical properties of water-Al2O3 based nanofluids using SDBS as dispersant agent

Nanofluids are thermo-fluids engineered by dispersing nanosized particles in conventional base fluids used in heat transfer applications. In this experimental study, the temporal stability and thermophysical properties of water-based alumina nanofluids, such as thermal conductivity, surface tension and viscosity, were evaluated at three different concentrations (0.1 wt%, 0.5 wt%, and 1.0 wt%) using sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) as dispersant agent. The results showed that the nanofluid prepared with 1.0 wt% exhibits thermal conductivity enhancements between 11% and 15% compared to deionized water. Additionally, a pseudoplastic behaviour was identified by means of a rheological study, which increased as the nanoparticle concentration increased. Nevertheless, the nanofluids with SDBS showed a Newtonian behaviour and viscosity values close to those of water, which is suitable to avoid frictional losses in pump processes. In turn, surface tension increases with the amount of DI-water in Al₂O₃ concentrations, but it decreases with the addition of SDBS, which has an important effect on the boiling applications of nanofluids. This work was carried out to highlight the importance of nanofluids stability in function of the surfactant added and the nanoparticle concentration, in the measurement of significant thermophysical properties such as surface tension, viscosity and thermal conductivity, which could be used to explain the nanofluids behaviour in different thermal devices.