Plasma-activated water 2D monolayer hybrid nanofluid with non-isothermal heat and mass flux effects in free convection over a vertical cone

This study deals with the free convection flow of a hybrid nanofluid made up of graphene and molybdenum disulfide $$(MoS_{2})$$ dispersed in plasma-activated water (PAW). The problem is considered over a heated vertical cone, where both heat and mass flux vary along the surface. Compared with ordinary water, PAW contains reactive oxygen and nitrogen species formed during plasma treatment, which slightly alter its properties and influence the flow behavior under magnetic effects. The governing equations for velocity, temperature, and concentration are converted into nondimensional form and solved numerically using the Crank–Nicolson method together with the Thomas algorithm. The influence of different physical parameters on skin friction, heat transfer, and mass transfer is then examined. The results follow the same trend as earlier studies, which provides confidence in the numerical solution. It is also noticed that using PAW improves the overall transport behavior, giving better heat and mass transfer than conventional fluids. These results suggest that PAW-based hybrid nanofluids could be useful in practical thermal and energy systems. The outcomes confirm that the magnetic field slows down the flow, while the temperature tends to climb. The radiation enhances both velocity as well as temperature, which causes heat transmission. The Nusselt number generally increases with radiation but decreases when heat generation and viscous effects become stronger. It is also observed that a higher chemical reaction reduces the Sherwood number. The ANN findings chart the numerical tendencies closely, showing good agreement.