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Hygro-responsive membranes for effective oil–water separation

Author

Listed:
  • Arun K. Kota

    (University of Michigan)

  • Gibum Kwon

    (University of Michigan)

  • Wonjae Choi

    (University of Texas, Dallas)

  • Joseph M. Mabry

    (Air Force Research Laboratory, Edwards Air Force Base)

  • Anish Tuteja

    (University of Michigan
    Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan)

Abstract

There is a critical need for new energy-efficient solutions to separate oil–water mixtures, especially those stabilized by surfactants. Traditional membrane-based separation technologies are energy-intensive and limited, either by fouling or by the inability of a single membrane to separate all types of oil–water mixtures. Here we report membranes with hygro-responsive surfaces, which are both superhydrophilic and superoleophobic, in air and under water. Our membranes can separate, for the first time, a range of different oil–water mixtures in a single-unit operation, with >99.9% separation efficiency, by using the difference in capillary forces acting on the two phases. Our separation methodology is solely gravity-driven and consequently is expected to be highly energy-efficient. We anticipate that our separation methodology will have numerous applications, including the clean-up of oil spills, wastewater treatment, fuel purification and the separation of commercially relevant emulsions.

Suggested Citation

  • Arun K. Kota & Gibum Kwon & Wonjae Choi & Joseph M. Mabry & Anish Tuteja, 2012. "Hygro-responsive membranes for effective oil–water separation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 3(1), pages 1-8, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:3:y:2012:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms2027
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms2027
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    Cited by:

    1. Chao Yang & Mengying Long & Cuiting Ding & Runnan Zhang & Shiyu Zhang & Jinqiu Yuan & Keda Zhi & Zhuoyu Yin & Yu Zheng & Yawei Liu & Hong Wu & Zhongyi Jiang, 2022. "Antifouling graphene oxide membranes for oil-water separation via hydrophobic chain engineering," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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