CuO-water nanofluids were prepared from non-spherical CuO nanoparticles by dispersing them in water through the aid of ultrasonication along with the use of Tiron as dispersant. Thermal conductivity enhancements of 13% and 44% have been obtained with 0.016 vol% CuO-water nanofluids at 28 degrees C and 55 degrees C respectively, which could be attributed to the high aspect ratio and Brownian motion of nanoparticles. Correlations have been developed to predict the influence of temperature (28-55 degrees C) and nanoparticles volume concentration (< 0.016 vol%) on relative viscosity and thermal conductivity ratio. The results indicate the potential of this nanofluid for thermal management applications. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.