Ionanofluids with [C2mim][CH3SO3] ionic liquid and alumina nanoparticles: an experimental study on viscosity, specific heat and electrical conductivity

Abstract Ionic liquids, as well as their suspensions with nanoparticles, can be considered as the future of solar applications, due to their unique properties. This work consists of an experimental study of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium methanesulfonate ([C2mim][CH3SO3]) ionic liquid and its ionanofluids with Al2O3 nanoparticles of different mass concentrations (i.e. 0.05 - 10 %wt.). Viscosity, specific heat and electrical conductivity are measured in the temperature range 283.15 - 333 K and the experimental data were discussed in terms of both nanoparticle concentration and temperature variation. Results showed that the viscosity is increasing when nanoparticles mass concentration increase, going up to 250 % for the ionanofluid with 10 %wt. of alumina suspended in the ionic liquid. Ionanofluids rheological tests and viscosity variation were debated in the article and the results were correlated using the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann approach. Specific heat was found to increase with both mass fraction and temperature. Electrical conductivity decrease with nanoparticle addition and increase linearly with temperature growth. Concluding, these new fluids can be seen as an alternative for high temperature heat transfer fluids used in solar applications.