2D structures-based energy management nanofluids

Designing of compact electronic and electrical instruments needs the development of high efficient thermal and electrical management fluids. Recent advances in layered materials enable large scale synthesis of diverse two-dimensional (2D) structures. Some of these 2D materials are good choices as nanofillers in heat/electrical energy transfer fluids; mainly due to their high surface area available for energy conduction. Among various 2D nanostructures, hexagonal boron nitride (h- BN) or graphene (G) exhibit versatile properties such as outstanding thermal conductivity (TC), excellent mechanical stability, and remarkable chemical inertness. These 2D nanostructures have been used to create composite fluids for diverse thermal management applications, such as microelectronics, high voltage power transmission systems, automobiles, solar cells, biopharmaceuticals, medical therapy/diagnosis, and nuclear cooling, among others. The ever increasing thermal loads in applications now require advanced operational fluids, like high TC dielectric insulating fluids for electrical transformers. These fluids require superb filler dispersion, high thermal conduction, as well as electrical insulation. Such thermal oils that conform to this thermal/electrical requirement, and yet remain in highly suspended stable state, have not yet been synthesized. We discuss the synthesis and characterization of stable high TC and electrically conducting and non-conducting Newtonian nanofluids using liquid exfoliated layers of h-BN and G in dielectric mineral oil.