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Sustainable MWCNT and TiO2 Nanofluids for CO2 Absorption and Their Stability: An Experimental Study

Basavaraj Devakki, Devendra Dandotiya

Abstract


Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions contribute significantly to global warming. To mitigate this issue, various technologies are being explored for CO2 capture and storage. One such method involves direct contact absorption using nanofluids. In this research, the preparation of sustainable MWCNT and TiO2 nanofluids, their stability and usage of these nanofluids for CO2 absorption application have been discussed. Sustainable nanofluids are the materials widely used in the heat and mass transfer and energy storage applications, etc., but it is important to have higher stability by following the right approach of preparation of nanofluids. CO2 absorption performance of MWCNT and TiO2 nanofluids at 0.03, 0.06, 0.09 and 0.12 wt% concentrations was evaluated as compared to basefluid DI water and tested at initial pressures of 5, 7.5 and 10 bar inside the absorption cell. The stability of the nanofluids was assessed using Zeta Potential and UV-spectroscopy. Results showed that increasing the concentration of nanofluids generally enhanced CO2 absorption capacity, but there was an optimal concentration beyond which the trend reversed. For the given conditions, 0.03 wt% of MWCNT and 0.09 wt% of TiO2 nanofluids exhibited the highest CO2 absorption capacity. As compared to basefluid DI water, MWCNT nanofluid at 0.03 wt% concentration improved CO2 absorption by 22.54%, 30.16%, and 34.35% at 5, 7.5, and 10 bar, respectively. Similarly, TiO2 nanofluid at 0.09 wt% concentration increased CO2 absorption by 17.84%, 23.9%, and 25.85% at the same pressures. The enhanced CO2 absorption performance of the nanofluids is attributed to micro-convection and shuttle effects caused by the nanoparticles. The high negative Zeta Potential values (-39.5 mV for MWCNT and -42.8 mV for TiO2) indicated excellent stability of the nanofluids. The nanofluids demonstrated good stability, maintaining their properties even after four weeks of preparation.

Keywords



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DOI: 10.14416/j.asep.2025.10.007

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