Thermal Dynamics of Hybrid Nanofluid Systems

Hybrid nanofluids, comprising two distinct nanoparticle species suspended in a base fluid, represent a significant advance in heat transfer media. By combining materials such as oxides and metals at the nanoscale, these mixtures exhibit enhanced thermal conductivity, modified viscosity and tailored specific heat capacity. The synergy of Brownian motion and thermophoretic forces in such fluids promotes µm-scale mixing within the boundary layer, leading to elevated Nusselt numbers under both forced and natural convection. Numerical and experimental studies have explored flow regimes ranging from stagnation‐point impingement to mixed convection in enclosures and on stretching or shrinking surfaces. Key parameters include the Reynolds and Prandtl numbers, nanoparticle volume fractions, magnetic field strength and surface geometry. Recent developments have refined one-phase modelling approaches to account for mass-based property estimation, dual‐solution behaviour and stability analysis. These insights are driving applications in electronic cooling, solar thermal collectors and advanced heat exchangers, with particular attention to scalability, sedimentation resistance and energy efficiency in global energy systems.

Research from Nature Portfolio

• A novel mass-based one-phase model for a TiO₂–CuO/water hybrid nanofluid flowing over a static or moving wedge has demonstrated that both hydrodynamic and thermal boundary layer thicknesses decrease with increased nanoparticle mass, while platelet-shaped particles yield the highest local Nusselt numbers. • Investigations of stagnation-point flow towards a stretching or shrinking cylinder in a copper–alumina/water hybrid nanofluid revealed that hybrid mixtures surpass mono-nanofluids in heat transfer rate, and uncovered bifurcation in solution branches, with only one branch remaining stable under time evolution. • Foundational work on magnetohydrodynamic flow over a stretching/shrinking permeable wedge has identified dual similarity solutions and employed stability analysis to ascertain the physically reliable branch, highlighting the role of magnetic forces in controlling hybrid nanofluid boundary layers.

Thermal Dynamics of Hybrid Nanofluid Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in thermal dynamics of hybrid nanofluid systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Hybrid nanofluid: A dispersion of two distinct nanoparticle types in a base fluid, designed to improve thermal performance.

Nusselt number: A dimensionless expression of convective to conductive heat transfer at a surface.

Reynolds number: A dimensionless ratio indicating the relative significance of inertial versus viscous forces in flow.

Prandtl number: A dimensionless ratio of momentum diffusivity to thermal diffusivity.

Boundary layer: The region adjacent to a surface where velocity and temperature gradients are significant.

Thermophoresis: The motion of particles induced by a temperature gradient in a fluid.

Brownian motion: The random thermal motion of particles suspended in a fluid.

References

1. A novel hybridity model for TiO2-CuO/water hybrid nanofluid flow over a static/moving wedge or corner. Scientific Reports (2019).
2. Hybrid nanofluid flow towards a stagnation point on a stretching/shrinking cylinder. Scientific Reports (2020).
3. On the Stability of MHD Boundary Layer Flow over a Stretching/Shrinking Wedge. Scientific Reports (2018).
4. Study of the Magnetized Hybrid Nanofluid Flow through a Flat Elastic Surface with Applications in Solar Energy. Materials (2022).
5. Influence of suction and heat source on MHD stagnation point flow of ternary hybrid nanofluid over convectively heated stretching/shrinking cylinder. Advances in Mechanical Engineering (2022).