Experimental Study on Thermal Conductivity and Magnetization Behaviors of Kerosene-Based Ferrofluid Loaded with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes

Kerosene-based ferrofluid (FF) loaded with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MCNTs) is prepared and characterized to enhance heat conduction and furthermore for potential application in high-speed ferrofluid seals. The present study investigates kerosene-based ferrofluid loaded with MCNTs for the thermal conductivity and magnetization behaviors by varying temperature, weight fractions of MCNTs, and functional groups of MCNTs. The thermal conductivity is then measured by using a transient hot wire method, and magnetization behaviors are measured by using vibrator sample magnetometers. Microstructures among MCNTs and microstructures between MCNTs and magnetic nanoparticles in nanofluids are analyzed by optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Experiments are carried out in the temperature range of 20-50 °C, MCNT weight fraction range of 0-1% for kerosene-based ferrofluid loaded with pristine MCNTs (p-MCNTs), MCNTs functionalized with carboxylic groups (MCNTs-COOH), and MCNTs functionalized with hydroxyl groups (MCNTs-OH). Results show that thermal conductivity and magnetization of FF + MCNTs nanofluids decrease with the increase in temperature. The addition of MCNTs increases the thermal conductivity and decreases the magnetization of the original ferrofluid, especially in the FF + p-MCNTs nanofluids. Furthermore, the addition of 1 wt % p-MCNTs increases the thermal conductivity and decreases the magnetization of the original ferrofluid by 12.47 and 7.73%, respectively. Moreover, the FF + 1 wt % p-MCNTs nanofluid can be stable for at least eleven weeks, which might be basically applied to high-speed ferrofluid seals.