Nanofluids in confined geometries: understanding and controlling the behaviour

This research will further our fundamental understanding of the structural behaviour of nanofluids in confined geometries. A combination of the state-of-the-art devices including a high resolution near field microscope, a total internal reflection microscope (TIRM), an optical reflectometry and an atomic force microscope (AFM) will be used to observe directly nanoparticle structuring in the confined geometries and nanoparticle deposition on the confining walls, and to measure the structural force arising from the confinement-induced nanoparticle structuring. The recently developed Combined Continuous, Discrete and Statistic mechanics (CCDS) method will be employed to model the nanoparticle structuring. The ultimate aim is to establish a relationship between the structural behaviour of the confined nanofluids and the physical and chemical properties of the solution, the suspending nanoparticles, and the confining walls, thus enabling industry to formulate nanofluids based products and to predict how the material properties and solution chemistry impact on the performance of the products.