IPTT • Qatar Foundation’s Office of Intellectual Property & Technology Transfer

Technology Benefits

LICENSING & PARTNERING OPPORTUNITY

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Technology Benefits

u Low cost: The filter’s nanomaterial is made from readily available reagents and can be deposited on a variety of inexpensive substrates.

u Simple: The pump-free design needs only gravity to perform separation.

u Smart and green: The filter uses hydrophilic and oleophobic properties to separate oil from water.

u Effective: Approximately 99% of oil is removed in a single pass.

u Robust: The filter is easy to clean, allowing it to be reused for years.

u Versatile: The filter has been used in a wide range of applications for oil-water separation.

U.S. Navy photo by Mr. Paul Farley/Released NOAA/NOS/ORR photo by Doug Helton

Developed at Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), this super-wetting filter membrane material with a micro/nano-structured surface aims to effectively and economically clean up oil spills.

The unique nano-coating on the filter greatly increases surface roughness and plays a critical role in the formation of its super-hydrophilic and underwater super-oleophobic properties. Benefiting from its super-wetting and oil-repelling properties, this filter exhibits extremely high permeation flux and excellent separation efficiencies compared with traditional filtration membranes for the treatment of oil spills. The process of oil-water separation can be carried out under the natural gravity of the oil-water mixture without any high-pressure pumps, greatly reducing cost and complexity.

Given the low cost of filter materials, ease of operation, and high separation efficiency, this technology is a practical in-the-field solution for cleaning up large-area oil spills promptly and effectively.

Smart Filter for Oil/Water SeparationSimple, low-cost, easy-to-clean filter membrane material efficiently

separates oil from water for a variety of industrial applications

LICENSING & PARTNERING OPPORTUNITY

About the Technology

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Applications

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Licensing Opportunities

HOW IT WORKSThis technology is a hierarchical micro/nano-structured filtration membrane

designed with the properties of mechanical flexibility, super-hydrophilicity,

and underwater super-oleophobicity for separating oil from oil-water

mixtures. Put simply, it allows water to permeate through the membrane

while at the same time preventing oil from passing through it.

QEERI engineers designed this filter material based on extensive research

into the use of a hydrophilic membrane to aid in the separation of oil

from water. The membrane consists of a polymer substrate coated with

nano-sized inorganic particles that enhance its hydrophilic properties.

This membrane repels insoluble oil and allows water to penetrate through

simultaneously.

WHY IT IS BETTERWith 99% separation rates and the use of inexpensive materials, this

technology offers several advantages over other separation techniques. Its

ability to separate oil from water via gravity—without the need for external

pressure from pumps/centrifuges or chemical dispersants—uses less energy

and is nonpolluting. It also offers greater efficiency and effectiveness than

other gravity-based separation methods. This low-cost membrane is a

fraction of the cost of polymeric membranes and is easily cleaned and

reused.

PATENT PROTECTIONA provisional patent application has been filed on the technology.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Membrane Specifications Advantages

Flux >30,000 L/hr/m2 Ultrahigh capacity

Pressure Under gravity Low operation cost, simple setup

Oil feed concentration >5,000 mg/L Antifouling properties

Removal efficiency >99.5% High amount of oil removal

Salinity >37,000 ppm Withstands harsh environments

Flexibility Very flexible High mechanical strength

Reusability Reusable Consistent performance over time

This technology can be used in any application requiring the separation of oil from water for a wide range of industries, including:

u Oil industry: Refining/purifying, wastewater treatment

u Other fuel industries: Biodiesel, hydraulic fracturing

u Food and beverage: Treatment of potable water and food manufacturing wastewater

u Manufacturing: Treating and recycling water used in processes or as coolant

u Maritime: Bilge water treatment

u Environmental: Oil spill cleanup (offshore), water and wastewater treatment

Development Status

Prototypes of this filter have been extensively tested for applications that require oil and water separation. The technology can be easily scaled up for a variety of applications.

Tech #: QE-2015-034

Licensing Opportunities

Qatar Foundation is offering this technology for license. For more information about the Smart Membrane for Oil/Water Separation, please contact:

technologies@qf.org.qa