Work done by Cebe Research Group in oil water separation recognized on World Water Day!

March 22 is the United Nations recognized World Water Day, a day to recognize the ongoing work in providing water to all peoples by 2030. In recognition of World Water Day, the online campus news source Tufts Now covered the work done by graduate student Nelaka Govinna in collaboration with the group of Professor Ayse Asatekin on filtration membranes for oil water separation. The work focused on the fabrication of filtration membranes by electrospinning a commercial polymer with a specialty copolymer designed to increase the fibers water repelling properties. The work was a resounding success, with a publication in Journal of Polymer Physics B focusing on the fundamental properties of the membranes, and a recently published article in ACS Applied Polymer Materials focusing on the synthesis of the membranes and their performance as oil water separators. These new membranes are able to filter only oil out of a oil and water mixture (see video below), and have the potential to serve as filters for any number of applications involving the need for oil water separation.

See filter perfomance video here!

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