Development of graphene oxide-based nonedible cottonseed nanofluids for power transformers
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2020
Abstract
Sustainable materials, such as vegetable oils, have become an effective alternative for liquid dielectrics in power transformers. However, currently available vegetable oils for transformer application are extracted from edible products with a negative impact on food supply. So, it is proposed in this study to develop cottonseed oil (CSO) as an electrical insulating material and cooling medium in transformers. This development is performed in two stages. The first stage is to treat CSO with tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) antioxidants in order to enhance its oxidation stability. The second and most important stage is to use the promising graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets to enhance the dielectric and thermal properties of such oil through synthesizing GO-based CSO nanofluids. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant was used as surfactant for GO nanosheets. The nanofluid synthesis process followed the two-step method. Proper characterization of GO nanosheets and prepared nanofluids was performed using various techniques to validate the structure of GO nanosheets and their stability into the prepared nanofluids. The considered weight percentages of GO nanosheets into CSO are 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.05. Dielectric and thermal properties were comprehensively evaluated. Through these evaluations, the proper weight percentage of GO nanosheets was adopted and the corresponding physical mechanisms were discussed.
Keywords
Dielectric materials, Dielectric properties of liquids, Food supply, Graphene, Nanofluidics, Nanosheets, Oilseeds, Power transformers, Sodium dodecyl sulfate, Sulfur compounds, Thermodynamic properties
Divisions
mechanical
Funders
Universiti Putra Malaysia [Grant No: GPB 9630000]
Publication Title
Materials
Volume
13
Issue
11
Publisher
MDPI
Publisher Location
ST ALBAN-ANLAGE 66, CH-4052 BASEL, SWITZERLAND