Viscoelastic-fluid-based nanofluids with dispersion of copper (Cu) nanoparticles in viscoelastic surfactant solution (aqueous solution of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride/sodium salicylate) were prepared. A comparative study of thermal conductivity and viscosity between viscoelastic-fluid-based Cu nanofluids and distilled water based nanofluids was then performed experimentally. Different concentrations of viscoelastic base fluid and volume fraction of Cu nanoparticles were matched in order to check their influences on fluid's thermal conductivity and viscosity. The experimental results show that the viscoelastic-fluid-based Cu nanofluids have a higher thermal conductivity than viscoelastic base fluid, and its thermal conductivity increases with increasing temperature and increasing particle volume fraction. Furthermore, the viscoelastic-fluid-based Cu nanofluid shows a non-Newtonian behavior in its viscosity, and the viscosity increases with the increase of Cu nanoparticle concentration and decrease of temperature. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.