Nanofluids, a new class of fluids engineered by suspending nanometer-sized particles in a host liquid, are offered as a new strategy in order to improve heat and mass transfer efficiency. My research was motivated by previous exciting studies on enhanced mass diffusion and the possibility of tailoring mass transport by direct manipulation of molecular diffusion. Therefore, a microfluidic approach capable of directly probing tracer diffusion between nanoparticle-laden fluid streams was developed. Under conditions matching previously reported studies, strong complexation interactions between the dye and nanoparticles at the interface between fluid streams was observed. When the tracer dye and surfactant were carefully chosen to minimize the collective effects of the interactions, no significant change in tracer dye diffusivity was observed in the presence of nanoparticles. Next, adapting tracer dyes for studies involving colloidal nanomaterials was explored. Addition of these charged tracers poses a myriad of challenges because of their propensity to disrupt the delicate balance among physicochemical interactions governing suspension stability. Here it was shown how important it is to select the compatible combinations of dye, nanoparticle, and stabilizing surfactant to overcome these limitations in low volume fraction (< 1 vol%) aqueous suspensions of Al2O3 nanoparticles. A microfluidic system was applied as a stability probe that unexpectedly revealed how rapid aggregation could be readily triggered in the presence of local chemical gradients. Suspension stability was also assessed in conjunction with coordinated measurements of zeta potential, steady shear viscosity and bulk thermal conductivity. These studies also guided our efforts to prepare new refrigerant formulations containing dispersed nanomaterials, including graphene nanosheets, carbon nanotubes and metal oxide and nitride. The influence of key parameters such as particle type, size and volume fraction on the suspension's thermal conductivity was investigated using a standard protocol. Our findings showed that thermal conductivity values of carbon nanotube and graphene nanosheet suspensions were higher than TiO2 nanoparticles, despite some nanoparticles with large particle sizes provided noticeable thermal conductivity enhancements. Significantly, the graphene containing suspensions uniquely matched the thermal conductivity enhancements attained in nanotube suspensions without accompanying viscosity, thus making them an attractive new coolant for demanding applications such as electronics and reactor cooling.

Lesões cervicais não cariosas têm etiologia multifatorial, com ênfase na ação de ácidos, abrasivos e cargas mecânicas aplicadas à distância do local da lesão, mas que concentram tensão na região cervical, que é o local da lesão. O mecanismo de ação das cargas aplicadas à distância não foi ainda elucidado. Pensou-se que seria mediado por micro fraturas que fariam se desprender fragmentos de tecido (abfração); mas isto não explicaria a formação de lesões produzidas na presença de compressão, mesmo concentrada, nem a interação sinérgica na presença de ácidos. Além disso, as fraturas nunca foram localizadas no tecido. Uma outra hipótese considera os tecidos dentários como esponjas rígidas, deformáveis, capazes de expelir a sua própria água quando comprimidos ou absorver fluidos circundantes quando tracionados. Quando a carga fosse removida e o tecido recuperasse sua forma original, o fluido faria o caminho inverso. Assim, a ciclagem mecânica forçaria a circulação de fluidos circundantes no tecido e, se fossem ácidos, facilitaria a dissolução do tecido, tanto sob tração quanto sob compressão. A proposta do estudo foi avaliar a penetração de fluido traçador (nitrato de prata a 10 %) no esmalte de espécimes submetidos ou não a cargas cíclicas excêntricas que provocam compressão ou tração. Os espécimes foram construídos a partir de incisivos bovinos, cortados em paralelepípedos de 3x3x8,2 mm, com entalhe na dentina para formar um pescoço de 2x2 mm de seção transversal. Os espécimes, exceto uma faixa central do esmalte vestibular de 1,5x5 mm foram protegidos da penetração do traçador com verniz. Foram aplicados 1.200 ciclos mecânicos de carga excêntrica para produzir tensões de tração ou compressão no esmalte, com 5 s de carga de 40 N e 25 s sem carga. Um grupo controle não recebeu nem carga nem exposição ao traçador; outro controle recebeu apenas exposição ao traçador, sem carga; outros dois grupos controles receberam carga (de tração ou compressão) enquanto imersos em água e, imediatamente depois, foram expostos ao traçador durante 600 min. Os dois grupos teste foram expostos simultaneamente aos ciclos de carga (de tração ou de compressão) e ao traçador. A prata do traçador foi precipitada por exposição a fixador radiográfico e, posteriormente, à luz de fotopolimerizador (5 min). Para localizar o traçador os espécimes foram micro tomografados, radiografados e, posteriormente, foram cortados longitudinalmente para obter uma fatia central de 1 mm de espessura para avaliação em lupa, com luz refletida ou transmitida. A micro tomografia foi ineficaz devido aos artefatos formados. As radiografias marcaram apenas as regiões de maior concentração do traçador. A avaliação dos cortes em lupa binocular permitiu concluir que existem variações de padrão de coloração natural do esmalte de incisivos bovinos, que todos os espécimes expostos ao traçador, independentemente do grupo experimental, apresentaram alguma infiltração, pelo menos numa camada fina e uniforme da superfície exposta. Além da fina camada marcada, existe variação de padrões de penetração do traçador, mesmo entre os que receberam um mesmo tratamento experimental, o que pode ser devido a variações inevitáveis no histórico de cada dente. Isto, apesar de se tornar um inconveniente para identificar um possível efeito de bombeamento, poderia ser identificado também como um indicador de que podem existir diferenças na velocidade e profundidade de penetração no esmalte de outras moléculas como, por exemplo, as dos ácidos. Em resumo, o corante traçador penetrou no esmalte dos espécimes de incisivos bovinos sem diferenças claras de padrão de penetração entre os diferentes grupos e pode ser um método eficaz para comprovar a hipótese de circulação forçada, mas exigirá novos estudos. / Non-carious cervical lesions have a multifactorial aetiology, with emphasis on the action of acids, abrasives and mechanical loads applied at a distance from the site of the lesion, which concentrates tension at the lesion site. The mechanism of action of loads applied at a distance has not yet been elucidated. It was thought that it would be mediated by microfractures that would cause fragments of tissue (abfração) to be released, but this would not explain the formation of lesions produced in the presence of compression, even concentrated, nor the synergistic interaction in the presence of acids. Also, no fractures were located in the tissue. Another hypothesis considers dental tissues as rigid, deformable sponges capable of expelling their water when compressed or absorbing surrounding fluids under traction. When the load was removed, and the tissue regained its original shape, the fluid would do the reverse way. Thus, mechanical cycling would force the circulation of surrounding fluids into the tissue and, if they were acidic, would facilitate dissolution of the tissue, both under traction and under compression. The study aimed to evaluate the penetration of tracer fluid (10% silver nitrate) in the enamel of specimens subjected or not to eccentric cyclic loads that cause compression or traction. The specimens were constructed from bovine incisors, cut in parallelepipeds of 3x3x8.2 mm, with a notch in dentin to form a neck of 2x2 mm cross-section. The specimens, except a central vestibular enamel strip of 1.5x5 mm, were protected from penetration of the tracer with varnish. 1,200 eccentric load mechanical cycles were applied to produce tension or compression in the enamel, with 5 s of 40 N load and 25 s without load. A control group received neither load nor exposure to the tracer; another control received only exposure to the tracer, without load; two other control groups received loading (tensile or compression) while immersed in water and immediately exposed to the tracer for 600 min. The two test groups were exposed simultaneously to the load (traction or compression) cycles and the tracer. The silver from the tracer was precipitated by exposure to a radiographic fixer and, subsequently, by the light of a curing light source (5 min). To locate the tracer the specimens were micro-scanned, radiographed and later cut longitudinally to obtain a central slice of 1 mm thickness for evaluation in a magnifying glass, light reflected or transmitted. Microtomography was ineffective due to artefacts formed. The radiographs marked only the regions with the highest concentration of the tracer. The evaluation with stereo microscopy allowed to conclude that there are variations in the natural staining pattern of bovine incisor enamel; that all the specimens exposed to the tracer, independently of the experimental group, showed some infiltration, at least in a thin and uniform layer of the exposed surface. In addition to the thin layer marked, there is a variation of tracer penetration patterns, even among those who received the same experimental treatment, which may be due to inevitable variations in the history of each tooth. This fact, although an inconvenience to identify a possible pumping effect, could also be identified as an indicator that there may be differences in the speed and depth of enamel penetration of other molecules, such as those of acids. In summary, tracer dye penetrated the enamel of bovine incisor specimens without clear differences in penetration pattern between the different groups and may be an effective method to prove the hypothesis of forced circulation, but will require further studies.