Received: November 25, 2007

In Final Form: December 5, 2007

Abstract:

We report measurements of the effective thermal conductivity of dispersions of single-wall carbon nanotubes in technologically important fluids: (poly)-alpha olefins and ethylene glycol. The morphology of this dispersion was studied using rheology, AFM, and light scattering techniques. The enhancement of thermal conductivity was analyzed using a Maxwell-Garnett effective medium theory including the interfacial thermal-resistance layer between the nanotube and the fluid. The results were compared with previously reported results on multiwall carbon nanotubes in similar dispersion media and point to the critical role of the nanotube-fluid interfacial thermal resistance.

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