Exploring Surfactant-like Properties of Graphene Oxide for Thermal Engineering of the Emulsions

This thesis examines the use of two-dimensional nano sized additives like Graphene oxide as an additive to increase the stability and thermal conductivity of the high internal phase water-in-oil emulsion (HIPE). Graphene oxide along with the traditional emulsifier enhances the stability, rheology and most importantly, thermal conductivity by the virtue of its surfactant property and high thermal conductivity. The amine-functionalisation of Graphene oxide (fGO) renders it an ability to thermally percolate in HIPE. The significance of the thesis is that with current strategy thermal transport in a two-phase system can be achieved at an ultra-low volume fraction of additives.