brOWSER: 2D Materials for Efficient Industrial Oil and Water Separation.

This project enables the development of a simple, rapid, inexpensive and scalable method to fabricate a nano-coated metallic mesh capable of the efficient separation of oil and water emulsions, typically found in the oil and gas industry and resulting from oil extraction techniques. The innovation works on the same principle as fish scales with the combination of relatively large and small holes (micro and nano-sized porosity) which together create a surface that likes water and intensely dislikes oil. This relationship allows water to easily pass through the membrane while leaving the oil behind, separated from the mixture. Current technology either relies on the use of additional chemistry to separate oil and water mixtures, creating secondary effluent streams. Alternatively electrically powered filtration systems are employed which are expensive and energy demanding and rapidly become blocked by the oil content. These pressurised systems often rupture making the current process of separation cumbersome and unproductive and potentially polluting.