Phase transfer based synthesis and thermophysical properties of Au/Therminol VP-1 nanofluids

This paper reports a phase transfer based wet chemistry method for the preparation of Au/VP-1 nanofluids.The method involves the transfer of AuCl 4 ions from water to the base liquid Therminol VP-1,followed by the reduction of AuCl 4 ions using NaBH 4.The prepared nanofluids are characterized for their thermophysical properties and stability.The results show that the mass concentration of Au particles has a significant effect on the stability of Au/VP-1 nanofluids.An increase in the Au concentration results in a higher extent of agglomeration among the particles,leading to a decrease in the nanofluid stability.The results also show that the introduction of 0.005-0.05% Au nanoparticles enhances the thermal conductivity of the fluids by up to 6.5%,whereas the viscosity increase is minimal.