Magneto-radiative transport in a powell-eyring nanofluid with temperature-dependent properties: a spectral quasilinearization analysis

The precise control of heat and mass transfer in non-Newtonian nanofluid systems is paramount for advancing thermal engineering and industrial processes. This study presents a comprehensive numerical investigation into the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) boundary layer flow of a Powell-Eyring nanofluid, uniquely incorporating the coupled effects of thermal radiation and a temperature-dependent Prandtl number. The governing nonlinear partial differential equations are transformed into a system of ordinary differential equations and solved using the robust and highly efficient Spectral Quasilinearization Method (SQLM). A key finding reveals the dual, opposing role of the magnetic field, which suppresses fluid velocity while simultaneously enhancing thermal and solute diffusion. Quantitatively, increasing the magnetic parameter (M) from 0.0 to 0.6 substantially augments the shear stress coefficient by 33.83% but reduces the Nusselt and Sherwood numbers by 1.16% and 8.98%, respectively. Conversely, an increase in the radiation parameter (Rd) enhances the Sherwood number by 8.02%. These results underscore the potency of magnetic and radiative parameters as precise control mechanisms for boundary layer phenomena, offering critical insights for optimizing advanced biomedical applications such as magnetic hyperthermia cancer therapy, where controlling nanoparticle transport and localized heating in biological tissue is essential for treatment efficacy.