Comparative analysis of MHD boundary layer flow of TiO2–SiO2–Fe3O4/water hybrid nanofluid over a stretching surface in porous media

This study presents a comparative analysis of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) boundary layer flow of TiO2–SiO2–Fe3O4/water hybrid nanofluids over a stretching surface embedded in a porous medium. A two-dimensional, steady, viscous, and incompressible hybrid nanofluid model is considered, with water as the base fluid and titanium oxide (TiO2), silicon oxide (SiO2), and black iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles dispersed within it. The governing nonlinear partial differential equations are derived based on boundary layer approximations and are solved numerically using the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method coupled with the shooting technique. A detailed comparison is made among the three hybrid nanofluids under the effects of magnetic field strength, porous medium characteristics, radiation, and heat source parameters. The results reveal that the Fe3O4 hybrid nanofluid consistently exhibits a higher skin friction coefficient and an enhanced Nusselt number compared to TiO2 and SiO2 nanofluids, indicating superior momentum and thermal transfer characteristics. Meanwhile, the SiO2 nanofluid shows relatively lower values due to its comparatively lower thermal conductivity. This study provides valuable insights into selecting appropriate hybrid nanofluids for engineering applications involving MHD flows and thermal systems in porous media.