The present article reports the heat transfer characteristics of a vertical stainless steel foil of 0.15 mm thickness (SS304) by circular impinging jets of various fluids such as pure water, nano-fluids (Al2O3-water, ф = 0.15%, 0.6%), and aqueous high-alcohol surfactant (HAS, i.e., 2-ethyl-hexanol, 100-400 ppm) studied using an infrared thermal imaging camera (A655sc, FLIR System). The enhancement in the heat transfer rates for Al2O3-water nano-fluids with ф = 0.15%, ф = 0.60%, and aqueous surfactant solution (150ppm) is found to be 140%, 207%, and 117% higher compared to pure water results, respectively. The surface characteristics of the foil after jet impingement by various fluids are also studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and surface wettability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]