Enhanced thermal conductivity of fluids by percolating high-concentration few-layer graphene

High-performance and small-sized heat exchangers have been demanded due to the miniaturization and higher output of electronic devices, lasers, and energy harvesting/storage systems. Graphene nanosheet suspension has attracted attention as a next-generation nanofluid because of its high thermal conductivity and low pressure drop, while being dispersed stably without any additives. Graphene-based nanofluids have been mostly investigated using graphene oxide, and there are a few studies on pure graphene because of the limitation in mass production and stabilization at high concentrations of graphene. In this study, we prepared a 10 wt. % high-concentration few-layer graphene suspension by pulverizing graphite particles. Scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Raman spectra confirmed the few-layer graphene is formed in the suspension. The thermal conductivity of the suspension increased with concentration and suddenly jumped at a specific concentration. Furthermore, a significant improvement in thermal conductivity of >40% compared to base liquid was confirmed at 10 wt. % graphene content. A similar trend was observed for electrical resistance; 10 wt. % graphene suspension showed 62% lower resistance than that of 1 wt. %. These results suggest the percolation of graphene in a liquid, which has not been observed for graphene-based materials in previous research.