Energy-efficient solutions for the separation of oil-water mixtures are desired. Not only does the production and transport of petroleum products engender environmental risk to sensitive ecosystems, but many military applications could benefit from the efficient separation of water from hydrocarbons (oils and fuels). This need also applies to the separation of surfactant-stabilized oil-water mixtures, where additional technical difficulties exist. Traditional membrane-based technologies for oil-water separation are energy-intensive and further limited by membrane fouling or the inability of a single membrane to separate all types of oil-water mixtures. The ideal membrane, which would effectively separate all types of oil-water mixtures, is expected to be both hydrophilic (i.e., water contact angles  90�). Such membranes would allow the higher density liquid (water) to flow through the membrane, while preventing the flow of the lower density liquid (oil or fuel). However, as water possesses a significantly higher surface tension value than various oils, most membranes that prevent the permeation of oils also prevent the permeation of water. An update will be provided on the first-ever reconfigurable membranes that, counter-intuitively, are both superhydrophilic (i.e. water contact angles = 0�) and superoleophobic (i.e.oil contact angles > 150�). These membranes were produced through the systematic design of membrane porosity and membrane-water interfacial tension. These fouling-resistant membranes are, for the first time, able to separate all types of oil-water mixtures with greater than 99.9% efficiency. Further, we have produced the first-ever, gravity-assisted apparatus for the continuous separation of free oil-water mixtures and surfactant-stabilized oil-water emulsions.

Novel methodology for the highly efficient separation of oil and water

247th National Meeting (2014)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.