Preface

Nanofluids is a promising multidisciplinary field that encompasses fields like nanoscience and technology, thermofluid science and engineering, and colloidal science, as well as soft matter physics and chemistry. This emerging field has constantly been evolving over the past two decades due to the atypical thermophysical properties and transport features of these materials, as well as their manifold potential applications in numerous fields such as thermal management, energy, transportation, MEMs and biomedicine.

The book addresses a broad range of fundamental and applied research and development on nanofluids starting from their synthesis, stability, rheological and thermophysical properties and performance characterization to advanced applications. It also focuses on challenges and impact of this new class of fluids from socio–economic and environmental perspectives.

The book consists of fifteen chapters structured under four main sections, which are subsequently summarized based on each section.

Section I Fundamentals of Nanofluids comprises the first three chapters that cover the most pressing issues of nanofluids, which are the synthesis of nanofluids and their stability.

Section II Properties of Nanofluids consists of the next six chapters (from chapters 4 to 9), which deals with various key properties, such as the rheological behavior and viscosity, thermal conductivity, heat capacity and dielectric and magnetic properties of nanofluids.

Section III Thermal Features of Nanofluids focuses on single-phase and two-phase transport features, which include the experimental and numerical development of convective heat transfer performance in channel and heat exchangers and pool boiling heat transfer in the subsequent three chapters (from chapters 10 to 12).

Section IV Applications and Impact of Nanofluids presents selective applications in thermal management and solar energy as well as the socio–economic and environmental impact of nanofluids in the last three chapters.

This book is intended to be a valuable reference source for graduate students, researchers, engineers and scientists from different fields. However, it is not claimed that this book contains “all a reader needs to know” about nanofluids.

I wish to thank all the authors for their high-quality contributions and the reviewers for their reviewing and feedback which have made possible the successful completion of this book. I also thank the staff of the Royal Society of Chemistry for their cooperation and support from the beginning to the production of this book. Finally, I am indebted to my wife and daughter for their inspiration, support, and sacrifice.

S. M. Sohel Murshed

Instituto Superior Tecnico

University of Lisbon, Portugal