New 'Paper Towel' for Oil Spills

Posted by Miss Cellania in Science & Tech on June 1, 2008 at 7:13 am


Researchers at MIT have developed a new paper-like material that can sop up oil and other environmental spills and leave the water behind!

The scientists say they have created a membrane that can absorb up to 20 times its weight in oil, and can be recycled many times for future use. The oil itself can also be recovered. Some 200,000 tons of oil have already been spilled at sea since the start of the decade.

“What we found is that we can make ‘paper’ from an interwoven mesh of nanowires that is able to selectively absorb hydrophobic liquids–oil-like liquids–from water,” said Francesco Stellacci, an associate professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and leader of the work.

The combination of a nanowire mesh and a water-repellant coating makes this material effective for the purpose. Other applications include water purification and filtering. Link (with video) -via Digg

(image credit: Francesco Stellacci, MIT, and Nature Nanotechnology)


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COMMENT

12 comments to "New 'Paper Towel' for Oil Spills"

  1. Jimbo
    June 1st, 2008 at 7:27 am

    This may be new for a paper towel, but companies have been buying "Oil Only" absorbent Pillows, pads, socks and booms for years.

  2. CheeseDuck
    June 1st, 2008 at 7:51 am

    Does this mean a decrease in the cost of oil? :D

  3. Miss Cellania
    June 1st, 2008 at 8:00 am

    HAHAHAHA!

    No.

  4. nick
    June 1st, 2008 at 9:59 am

    i hear ya jimbo, i work in the oil field in the gulf of mexico. benn using the stuff for years.

  5. Shervin
    June 1st, 2008 at 10:53 am

    So this isn't new breakthrough technology?

  6. Tom
    June 1st, 2008 at 11:00 am

    I think it is probably just more effective than current technology.

  7. Miss Cellania
    June 1st, 2008 at 11:55 am

    If it's not new technology, someone should've told the folks who gave the grant to MIT.

  8. Christophe
    June 1st, 2008 at 11:59 am

    MIT... Is there anything they can't do?...

  9. Tempscire
    June 1st, 2008 at 12:24 pm

    I imagine this

    Stellacci explained that there are other materials that can absorb oils from water, "but their selectivity is not as high as ours." In other words, conventional materials still absorb some water, making them less efficient at capturing the contaminant.

    has something to do with the new-shininess of this.

  10. Archbob
    June 1st, 2008 at 1:34 pm

    Will it be available to the public soon?

  11. Jimbo
    June 1st, 2008 at 4:24 pm

    Like I said, nothing new here..

    http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1HEH7

    Here is a list of the absorbents that they carry. Note: Universal means it absorbs any liquid, Oil only means it it doesn't absorb water. If you have a oil / water spill outside, the "Oil only" will pick up the oil and leave the water.

    http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/productIndex.shtml?L2=Spill+Contr ol&operator=prodIndexRefinementSearch&originalValue=Absorbents&L1=Abso rbents%2C

    Grainger is just one of thousands of national suppliers.

    MIT ripped someone off!

  12. DOJ
    June 1st, 2008 at 7:45 pm

    how much oil does it take to manufacture each "towel"?


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