A comprehensive review on nanofluids: Synthesis, cutting-edge applications, and future prospects

Nanofluids, which are fluid suspensions containing nanoparticles, exhibit remarkable property enhancements even at low nanoparticle concentrations. Much of the research on nanofluids aims to understand their behavior for applications where heat transfer enhancement is crucial, spanning industrial, nuclear, transportation, electronics, biomedical, and food sectors. Notably, nanofluids can act as smart fluids, allowing the controlled modulation of heat transfer. This paper presents an overview of recent advances in nanofluid research, covering preparation techniques and a wide range of existing and potential applications in energy, mechanical engineering, and biomedicine. Furthermore, the paper highlights avenues for future research in this field. In light of the findings, this paper concludes that a comprehensive hybrid model for understanding nanofluid thermophysical properties is lacking. Further exploration of heat transfer in nanofluids and additional research on unexplored aspects, particularly the applications of nanoparticles, are deemed essential. To capture the entirety of our study, the graphical abstract provides a comprehensive representation.