A comparative analysis of standard and nano-structured glass for enhancing heat transfer and reducing energy consumption using metal and oxide nanoparticles: a review

Abstract

The thrust to find new technology and materials has been greatly increasing due to environmental and technological challenges in the progressive world. Among new standard materials and advanced nano-materials that possess a huge potential and superior thermal, mechanical, optical, and magnetic properties, which have made them excellent and suitable components for mechanical engineering applications. The current review paper deals with recent enhancements and advances in the properties of nano-structured glasses and composites in terms of thermal and mechanical properties. A fabrication method of nano-structured glass has briefly been discussed and the phase change material (PCM) method outlined. The comprehensive review of thermal and optical properties confirms that nano-fabricated glasses show both direct and indirect running of band gaps depending on selective nano-structuring samples. The electrical and magnetic properties also show enhancement in electrical conductivity on nano-structured glasses compared to their standard counterparts. The realistic changes in thermal and mechanical properties of nano-structured glasses and composites are commonly attributed to many micro- and nano-structural distribution features like grain size, shape, pores, other flaws and defects, surface condition, impurity level, stress, duration of temperature effect on the selective samples. Literature reports that nano-structuring materials lead to enhanced phonon boundary scattering which reduces thermal conductivity and energy consumption.