Membrane developed by MIT researchers can separate even highly mixed fine oil-spill residues.
Tiny droplets of water, colored blue, are suspended in water on top of a membrane developed by the MIT team. Thanks to the membrane's tiny pores, with a special coating that attracts water and repels oil, the droplets shrink as they pass through the membrane, ultimately leaving just pure oil behind. A similar membrane with a different coating can do the reverse, allowing oil droplets to pass while blocking water. Image courtesy of the researchers.