Smart Nanofluids: Innovative Applications in Modern Thermal Engineering

The field of nanofluid technologies has experienced rapid advancements, fundamentally altering the landscape of thermal engineering. Nanofluids, which involve the suspension of nanoparticles in base fluids, have demonstrated significant potential in enhancing heat transfer properties, making them a cornerstone of modern thermal systems. Recent developments extend beyond classical nanofluids to innovative configurations like hybrid, tri-hybrid, and magnetically responsive variants. These types of nanofluids have seen promising applications, particularly in areas such as solar thermal collectors, cooling technologies in microchannels, thermal management in electronics, and bio-convection flows. The dynamic evolution in this field requires continuous exploration, especially to address unanswered questions regarding optimization techniques and the complete understanding of transport phenomena in smart nanofluids.

The latest studies have revealed that nanofluids with hybrid and multi-nanoparticle systems significantly enhance thermal conductivity and mass diffusivity in different applications. Moreover, the integration of artificial intelligence, machine learning optimization, and fractional calculus has provided robust modeling frameworks to predict and analyze the behavior of nanofluids. Despite progress, gaps remain in fully understanding their potential, especially regarding experimental validations and sustainable applications in renewable energy systems.

This Research Topic explores innovations in smart nanofluids and their applications in modern thermal engineering, with a focus on how smart nanofluids can optimize heat and mass transfer processes.

This collection invites submissions focused on innovative nanofluid models, methods, and applications from thermal scientists, engineers, and mathematicians. Contributions must align with global efforts towards energy efficiency and sustainable engineering designs.

We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Smart nanofluid modeling using fractional calculus, machine learning, and artificial intelligence simulations
• The influence of hybrid and multi-nanoparticle systems on thermal conductivity and mass diffusivity
• Advanced heat and mass transfer in smart technologies like MEMS/NEMS and biomedical devices
• The integration of magnetic fields, radiative effects, and chemical reactions on transport characteristics
• Experimental and numerical studies on sustainable nanofluid applications in renewable thermal energy.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: smart nanofluids, hybrid nanofluids, mass diffusivity, machine learning, artificial intelligence, heat transfer, thermal conductivity, multi-nanoparticle nanofluids, experimental nanofluid research

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.