Investigations of heat conductivity of nanofluids based on aluminum oxide nanoparticles

The heat conductivity of nanofluids based on aluminum oxide nanoparticles (mean diameter of 13 nm) have been measured experimentally. Glycol and isopropyl alcohol as the based fluids were used. The non stationary “hot wire” method has been used. It was shown the heat conductivity at low volume concentration of nanoparticles (<0,5 %) corresponds to classical Maxwell theory. For higher volume concentration of nanoparticles in glycol the heat conductivity deviated to low side due to aggregate instability of the nanofluid. The anomalous growth of heat conductivity in isopropyl alcohol have been observed. The possible nature of the observed phenomenon is discussed in conclusion.