Purpose　The　purpose　of　this　study　is　to　theoretically　probe　the　shape　impacts　of　nano-particle　on　boundary　layer　flow　of　nano-fluid　toward　a　stretching　cylinder　with　heat-transmission　effects.　The　base　fluid　used　for　this　study　is　pure　water,　and　aluminum　oxide　nano-particles　are　suspended　in　it.　Four　different　shapes　of　nano-particle,　namely,　cylindrical,　brick,　platelets　and　blades,　are　considered　to　carry　out　the　study.　Design/methodology/approach　The　problem　is　modelled　mathematically　and　the　nonlinear　system　of　equations　is　attained　by　using　appropriate　transmutations.　The　solution　of　transmuted　equations　is　achieved　by　utilizing　a　shooting　technique　with　Fourth-Fifth　order　Runge-Kutta　Fehlberg　scheme.　Numerically　attained　results　are　elucidated　through　graphs　and　tables　which　are　further　compared　under　limiting　cases　with　existing　literature　to　check　the　validity　of　the　results.　Findings　It　is　observed　that　fluid　velocity　and　temperature　of　cylindrical　shaped　water　nano-fluids　are　more　than　the　nano-fluid　having　brick-shaped　nano-particles.　Moreover,　it　is　seen　that　the　nano-fluids　suspended　with　platelets-shaped　nano-particles　have　higher　velocity　and　temperature　than　the　nano-fluids　containing　blade-shaped　nano-particles.　The　curvature　parameter　and　nano-particles　volume　fraction　have　increasing　effects　on　flow　velocity　and　temperature　of　nano-fluids　containing　all　types　of　nano-particle　shapes.　Originality/value　Numerous　authors　have　examined　the　impacts　of　nano-particle　shapes　on　characteristics　of　heat　transfer　and　fluid　flow.　However,　to　the　best　of　the　authors＇　knowledge,　the　shape　impacts　of　nano-particles　on　boundary　layer　flow　of　nano-fluid　toward　a　stretching　cylinder　with　heat-transmission　effects　have　not　been　discussed.　So,　to　fulfill　this　gap,　the　present　paper　explicates　the　impacts　of　various　nano-particle　shapes　on　Al2O3-water-based　nano-fluid　flow　past　a　stretching　cylinder　with　heat-transfer　effects.