Open AccessScattering and absorption properties of carbon nanohorn-based nanofluids for solar energy applications
Author(s) -
Luca Mercatelli,
Elisa Sani,
D. Fontani,
Giovanni Zaccanti,
Fabrizio Martelli,
Paola Di Ninni
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of the european optical society rapid publications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.357
H-Index - 33
ISSN - 1990-2573
DOI - 10.2971/jeos.2011.11025
Subject(s) - nanofluid , materials science , absorption (acoustics) , sunlight , carbon fibers , scattering , pulmonary surfactant , chemical engineering , attenuation , nanoparticle , surface modification , solar energy , aqueous solution , light scattering , wavelength , nanotechnology , optics , optoelectronics , composite material , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite number , physics , engineering , ecology , biology
In this work we investigated the scattering and absorption properties of nanofluids consisting in aqueous suspensions of single wall carbon nanohorns of different morphologies and prepared with different amounts of surfactant. The characteristics of these nanofluids were evaluated in order to use them as direct sunlight absorber fluids in solar devices. The differences in optical properties induced by carbon nanoparticles compared to those of pure water lead to a considerably higher sunlight absorption with respect to the pure base fluid. Scattered light over the total attenuation of light was found to be nearly negligible at NIR wavelengths. 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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