Argonne scientists create new oil-resistant filter technology

Argonne reports a novel new way to keep oil from clogging filters and equipment using ALD coated mabranes.

Crude oil is sticky stuff and often clogs filters membranes and other equipment used in the oil and gas industry. To address this problem, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have developed a novel approach, which will prolong the lifetime of key industrial equipment.

The scientists used a method called atomic layer deposition, which uses chemical vapors to deposit a very thin coating of the metal oxide on all of the filter membrane surfaces. They experimented using different metal oxides on off-the-shelf commercial polymer membranes to find which ones worked the best. The team published the results in ACS Nano on August 14. 

This shows a membrane, when fouled by crude oil, but coated by titanium dioxide (TiO2), releases oil when placed in water.

Read the full news release here: https://www.anl.gov/article/argonne-s...