Characteristics investigation on thermophysical properties of synthesized activated carbon nanoparticles dispersed in solar glycol

Abstract

Abstract In the present work, porous activated carbon (AC) nanoparticles were prepared using the pyrolysis of Kigelia Africana leaves in a muffle furnace and the high-temperature sintering process. The structural and thermal properties of the carbon nanomaterials were characterized through use of SEM, EDS, XRD, TGA, FTIR and BET analyzers. Solar glycol - activated carbon based nanofluids with different concentration of nanoparticles were prepared and the stability of the nanofluid was analyzed by using Zeta potential and UV visible spectrophotometry analysis. Experimental studies on the variations in the thermal transport properties of the prepared solar glycol with AC nanofluids at the nanomaterial volume concentrations of 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6% within the temperatures range of 30–50\u202f°C were made. The results showed the enhancement of the base fluid thermal conductivity to the extent of 12.8% with 0.6% nanomaterial volume concentration at 50\u202f°C owing to the presence of AC nanoparticles. Despite the increase in the specific heat capacity with respect to temperature at all particle concentration, there was a considerable decrease in the value decreases considerably with increase in particle volume concentration. Interesting properties observed for density and viscosity are explained in detail in the present paper.