title: Thermal conductivity of nanoscale colloidal solutions (nanofluids).
abstract: Researchers have been perplexed for the past five years with the unusually high thermal conductivity (k) of nanoparticle-laden colloidal solutions (nanofluids). Although various mechanisms and models have been proposed in the literature to explain the high k of these nanofluids, no concrete conclusions have been reached. Through an order-of-magnitude analysis of various possible mechanisms, we show that convection caused by the Brownian movement of these nanoparticles is primarily responsible for the enhancement in k of these colloidal nanofluids.
authors.affiliation: Intel Corporation, CH5-157, 5000 W. Chandler Boulevard, Chandler, Arizona 85226-3699, USA.
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Prasher
authors.forename: Prajesh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Patrick E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Phelan