Enhancement of specific heat capacity of high-temperature silica-nanofluids synthesized in alkali chloride salt eutectics for solar thermal-energy storage applications

In this study, we report the anomalous enhancement of specific heat capacity of high-temperature nanofluids. Alkali metal chloride salt eutectics were doped with silica nanoparticles at 1% mass concentration. The specific heat capacity of the nanofluid was enhanced by 14.5%. Dispersion behavior of the nanoparticles in the eutectic was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Three independent competing transport mechanisms are enumerated to explain this anomalous behavior.