Ti₃C₂T<i>_<i>x</i></i> MXene Additives for Enhanced Pool Boiling Regime

This study investigates the potential applications of MXenes as an additive in heat-exchanging fluids under atmospheric pressure conditions. A low concentration of 0.1 wt % titanium carbide (Ti₃C₂T <i>_<i>x</i> </i> ) MXene-enhanced deionized water altered the boiling regime by demonstrating high critical heat flux (CHF) of 2110.1 kW/m² and heat transfer coefficient (HTC) 163.6 kW/m² °C, representing a 70.1% increase in CHF and a 213.5% increase in HTC compared to deionized water. Rheological studies were conducted to determine the optimal MXene concentration for long-term stability in the base fluid, ensuring suitability for large-scale industrial applications. Notably, Ti₃C₂T <i>_<i>x</i> </i> MXene dispersion demonstrated an 11% enhancement in CHF and a 45% enhancement in HTC compared to the highest reported values for Ag/ZnO-enhanced fluids on plain copper substrates in the literature. This shift in boiling regime is attributed to a combined mechanisms involving thermophoretic and Brownian motion that facilitated the circulation of the Ti₃C₂T <i>_<i>x</i> </i> MXene flakes before their stratification on the copper heater surface, which further led to improved interfacial properties such as surface roughness, wettability, and conductivity. This study provides insights on rheological property modulation and Ti₃C₂T <i>_<i>x</i> </i> MXene enhanced heat transfer fluid-surface interactions in pool boiling efficiency.