Nano-coated mesh could clean oil spills for less than $1 per
square foot
The unassuming piece of stainless steel mesh in a lab at The
Ohio State University doesn’t look like a very big deal, but it could make a
big difference for future environmental cleanups.
Water passes through the mesh but oil doesn’t, thanks to a nearly
invisible oil-repelling coating on its surface.
In tests, researchers mixed water with oil and poured the
mixture onto the mesh. The water filtered through the mesh to land in a beaker
below. The oil collected on top of the mesh, and rolled off easily into a
separate beaker when the mesh was tilted.