Open AccessCarbon nanohorns-based nanofluids as direct sunlight absorbers
Author(s) -
Elisa Sani,
Simona Barison,
C. Pagura,
Luca Mercatelli,
Paola Sansoni,
D. Fontani,
D. Jafrancesco,
F. Francini
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.18.005179
Subject(s) - nanofluid , materials science , sunlight , absorption (acoustics) , thermal conductivity , carbon fibers , nanofluids in solar collectors , thermal , solar energy , heat transfer , nanoparticle , heat transfer fluid , nanotechnology , optics , composite material , thermodynamics , photovoltaic thermal hybrid solar collector , composite number , physics , ecology , biology
The optimization of the poor heat transfer characteristics of fluids conventionally employed in solar devices are at present one of the main topics for system efficiency and compactness. In the present work we investigated the optical and thermal properties of nanofluids consisting in aqueous suspensions of single wall carbon nanohorns. The characteristics of these nanofluids were evaluated in view of their use as sunlight absorber fluids in a solar device. The observed nanoparticle-induced differences in optical properties appeared promising, leading to a considerably higher sunlight absorption. We found that the thermal conductivity of the nanofluids was higher than pure water. Both these effects, together with the possible chemical functionalization of carbon nanohorns, make this new kind of nanofluids very interesting for increasing the overall efficiency of the sunlight exploiting device.
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