Engineering teams from KAIST and Georgia Tech have engineered a low-cost membrane from porous polyacrylonitrile that separates crude oil at room temperature. The innovation transforms conventional fouling into an operational benefit by letting heavy hydrocarbons naturally narrow membrane pores. This breakthrough provides an alternative to traditional, heat-heavy distillation, significantly lowering industrial energy requirements and associated carbon output. By replacing thermal methods that demand temperatures above 350 degrees Celsius, the system achieves molecular separation without costly engineered coatings.
Key points
Natural molecular clogging can effectively replace expensive artificial coatings in indus…: Natural molecular clogging can effectively replace expensive artificial coatings in industrial crude oil separation systems.
Room-temperature membrane filtration permits lighter fractions like gasoline and kerosene…: Room-temperature membrane filtration permits lighter fractions like gasoline and kerosene to pass while blocking heavier hydrocarbons.
Implementing this polymer filtration technique could lower global refining carbon emissio…: Implementing this polymer filtration technique could lower global refining carbon emissions by almost 38 percent.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
- Date:
- November 5, 2026
- Source:
- The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
- Summary:
- Scientists have developed a remarkable new membrane that separates crude oil at room temperature, using the oil itself to create microscopic filtration channels. The breakthrough could cut refining energy consumption by nearly 32%, carbon emissions by almost 38%, and operating costs by 36%, potentially transforming one of the world's most energy-intensive industries.
- Share:
Researchers have developed a surprisingly simple way to separate crude oil without heating it, potentially transforming one of the world's most energy-intensive industrial processes. The breakthrough uses an inexpensive membrane that could significantly reduce the energy required for oil refining while lowering operating costs and carbon emissions.
The international research effort was led by Professor Dong-Yeun Koh at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, known as KAIST, in collaboration with Professor Ryan Lively's research group at Georgia Tech. KAIST(President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced that the team had successfully demonstrated a membrane capable of separating crude oil at room temperature. The findings were published…
Scientists studying the endangered ʻakiapōlāʻau honeycreeper have uncovered the anatomical adaptations that allow it to occupy an ecological niche typically filled by woodpeckers. By examining museum skeletons, researchers discovered specialized leg structures and a uniquely flexible bill that make this demanding foraging possible. These sophisticated physical demands also explain why young birds require an extended period of parental care to master hunting.
Researchers analyzing ancient enamel proteins from East Asian fossils have uncovered evidence of interbreeding between *Homo erectus* and Denisovans. This genetic exchange ultimately passed ancient material down to modern humans across Southeast Asia and Oceania, directly refuting the longstanding belief that *Homo erectus* vanished without leaving any descendants.
University of California, Berkeley researchers have discovered that the accumulation of tau protein in the frontal cortex disrupts the coordinated electrical activity necessary to preserve memories during deep sleep. Published in Nature Neuroscience, the findings suggest these nightly disturbances could drive memory decline well ahead of standard Alzheimer’s symptoms. This offers fresh perspective on how early neurodegenerative changes interfere with nocturnal brain synchronization.