POSTECH developed a technology that can quickly separate oil from mixture that contains water and oil. It can open up a way to effectively prevent expansion of marine oil pollution and safely get rid of industrial oily wastewater.

POSTECH made an announcement that a research team led by Professor Lim Geun–bae of Mechanical Engineering Department and a research team led by Professor Cho Sung–jin of Chungnam National University co–manufactured nano–fiber membrane through underwater superoleophobic cellulose and co–developed a technology that can quickly separate water from oil.

Research teams succeeded in separating more than 99% of water–oil mixture by using cellulose material that contains strong chemical resistant property and hydrophilic property and underwater superoleophobic property. They were able to easily separate water from oil with just gravity by manufacturing porous cellulose nano–fiber membrane (Nano Fibrous Cellulosic) through underwater electric radiation method.

After experiments, they were able to separate 2,000 liters of water–oil mixture in just one minute by adding additional mechanical pressure of 30kPa.
 

Article: POSTECH Develops State-of-the-Art Preventive Membrane That Can Filter Out Oil in Just One Second
Source Credit: etnews
Staff Reporter Jung, Jaehoon