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Cloth Successfully Separates Oil From Gulf Water

Posted by kdawson on from the now-to-try-it-on-cats-and-dogs dept.

Chinobi writes "Di Gao, an assistant professor at the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh, has developed a method of separating oil from water within just seconds using a cotton cloth coated in a chemical polymer that makes it both hydrophilic (it bonds with the hydrogen atoms in water) and oleophobic (oil-repelling), making it absolutely perfect for blocking oil and letting water pass through. Gao tested his filter successfully on Gulf Oil water and oil and has an impressive video to demonstrate the results." This is a laboratory demonstration; the technology hasn't been tested at scale.

4 of 327 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Too late probably, but... by Bakkster · · Score: 0, Troll

    With cloth that we don't have, because it isn't being mass produced. That's why it's too late.

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  2. Biggest Investor: BP by CapnStank · · Score: 0, Troll

    Obviously (if tests prove successful) BP will be buying this stuff by the boat-load. By successfully separating the oil to a (most likely) usable state they can recoup all that oil they lost into that darned ocean.

    That damned water is contaminating our profits!

  3. Re:Awesome by lowrydr310 · · Score: 1, Troll

    It figures a guy from Pittsburgh would create a way to separate oil. I bet he figured this out while eating fries from "The O" or perhaps one of the dozens of fine greasy eating establishments throughout the city.

    Mmmm.. I'm craving Primanti Brothers right now.

  4. Re:Well, just you just keep on driving by BlueStrat · · Score: 0, Troll

    lxtoc_1 was simply a matter of the mexican national oil company ignoring something that almost exclusively effected the Texas coast.

    And how does that differ from how BP acted? Do the world a favor, find a loaded gun, put in in your mouth, turn off the safety, and pull the trigger.

    Great! Then you must be in favor of drilling in places like ANWR then, since not drilling at all would mean economic collapse and many deaths unless there's a practical & economical substitute *right now*, along with all it's necessary infrastructure in place.

    By the way, very classy of you with the gun bit. I stand in awe of your intellect and ability to debate a topic civilly and persuade with the brilliance of your logic.

    Bravo, Sir, Bra-vo!

    Strat

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    Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.