Effective Thermal Conductivity of Various Surface-Modified Cerium Dioxide Nanoparticles Dispersed in Cyclohexane

Blabus HP, Chittem PK, Mombeini D, Koller TM, Rausch MH, Lei J, Ninomiya K, Nishibori M, Prakoso SP, Adschiri T, Yoko A, Schmidt P, Fröba AP (2026)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

International Journal of Thermophysics Springer Verlag (Germany)

Book Volume: 47

Article Number: 139

Journal Issue: 8

DOI: 10.1007/s10765-026-03804-9

Abstract

Nanofluids with ultrasmall nanoparticles below 10 nm stabilized in organic liquids lack a deeper characterization with respect to the effective thermal conductivity λeff. This study investigates nanofluids consisting of cerium dioxide (CeO2) nanoparticles and cyclohexane. To elaborate the influence of particle size, surface modification, and particle volume fraction φp, nearly spherical nanoparticles with very small core sizes dcore from (3 to 6) nm covered by modifiers of varying chain length were examined at φp of up to 0.045. λeff was measured using a guarded parallel-plate instrument at temperatures from (283.15 to 313.15) K and at atmospheric pressure with an expanded uncertainty of 2.5%. All samples were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis, small-angle X-ray scattering, and dynamic light scattering to determine dcore, the mass and size of the modifier shell, the effective particle size and dcore, and the hydrodynamic diameter, respectively. The thorough analysis allowed for a better understanding of the influence of the particle characteristics on λeff. The enhancement of λeff shows no temperature dependence and an increase as a function of φp. With increasing dcore and chain length of the modifier, λeff exhibits the tendency to decrease and increase, respectively. The comparison of the experimental λeff data with empirical prediction models shows agreement, especially with the geometric mean model that accounts for an interfacial resistance between the core particle and cyclohexane. This work demonstrates a novel multi-method approach for investigating λeff together with particle morphology in nanofluids with ultrasmall surface-modified nanoparticles relevant for colloid science and technology.

Authors with CRIS profile

Hubert Patryk Blabus Institute of Advanced Optical Technologies - Thermophysical Properties (AOT-TP) Pranay Kumar Chittem Institute of Advanced Optical Technologies - Thermophysical Properties (AOT-TP) Dena Mombeini Institute of Advanced Optical Technologies - Thermophysical Properties (AOT-TP) Thomas Manfred Koller Institute of Advanced Optical Technologies - Thermophysical Properties (AOT-TP) Michael Rausch Institute of Advanced Optical Technologies - Thermophysical Properties (AOT-TP) Patrick Schmidt Institute of Advanced Optical Technologies - Thermophysical Properties (AOT-TP) Andreas Paul Fröba Institute of Advanced Optical Technologies - Thermophysical Properties (AOT-TP)

Involved external institutions

Tohoku University JP Japan (JP)

How to cite

APA:

Blabus, H.P., Chittem, P.K., Mombeini, D., Koller, T.M., Rausch, M.H., Lei, J.,... Fröba, A.P. (2026). Effective Thermal Conductivity of Various Surface-Modified Cerium Dioxide Nanoparticles Dispersed in Cyclohexane. International Journal of Thermophysics, 47(8). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-026-03804-9

MLA:

Blabus, Hubert Patryk, et al. "Effective Thermal Conductivity of Various Surface-Modified Cerium Dioxide Nanoparticles Dispersed in Cyclohexane." International Journal of Thermophysics 47.8 (2026).

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