# US 10,865,127 B2 · Liquid separation device comprising a metallic mesh with a hydrophobic polymer coating

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- Number: US 10,865,127 B2
- Document ID: US10865127B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/433,554
- Filed: 2013-10-03
- Published: 2015-07-23
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2012-10-03
- Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology; ENI S.p.A.
- Applicants: Philip M. Gschwend; Francesco Stellacci; Roberto Bagatin; Da Deng; Daniel P. Prendergast
- Inventors: Philip M. Gschwend; Francesco Stellacci; Roberto Bagatin; Da Deng; Daniel P. Prendergast
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865127B2

## CPC

- C02F 1/40: Devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material (cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; devices in sewers for separating liquid or solid substances from sewage E03F5/14, e.g. for use in drains leading to the sewer E03F5/16)
- B01D 17/045: {with coalescers}
- B01D 17/10: {with stationary filtering elements}
- B01D 29/0093: {Making filtering elements not provided for elsewhere}
- B01D 29/03: self-supporting
- C02F 2101/32: Hydrocarbons, e.g. oil
- C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)

## Abstract

A device for separating liquids such as oil and water includes a hydrophobic and oleophilic mesh that allows oil to pass through while preventing water from passing through. The mesh can be fabricated simply from inexpensive materials by coating a mesh with a hydrophobic polymer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A liquid separating device comprising
a porous element having a coating including a hydrophobic polymer including a non-fluorinated polyolefin,
wherein the non-fluorinated polyolefin includes a polyethylene, the porous element having a mean pore size of 2 μm-142 μm when uncoated, and
when coated, has a water contact angle greater than about 100° and less than about 150° ,
the coating being globular and having both microscale structures that provide a microscale roughness and nanoscale structures that provide a nanoscale roughness and
the porous element having a breakthrough depth of at least 10 cm, such that water pressure on a water-facing side of the porous element does not exceed the hydrophobic forces opposing passage of water through the element, and
the porous element includes a mesh configured to separate oil from water in situ via capillary action.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The liquid separating device of claim 1, wherein the porous element includes a hydrophobic and oleophilic mesh.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The liquid separating device of claim 2, wherein the mesh is a metallic mesh.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The liquid separating device of claim 3, wherein the metallic mesh is a stainless steel mesh.

### Claim 5

A liquid separating device comprising:
an oil recovery chamber having an inlet including a porous element having a coating including a hydrophobic polymer including a non-fluorinated polyolefin, wherein the non-fluorinated polyolefin includes a polyethylene,
the porous element having globular irregular microstructures that provide a microscale roughness and nanostructures that provide nanoscale roughness
wherein the porous element having a mean pore size of 2 μm-142 μm when uncoated, and when coated, has a water contact angle greater than about 100° and less than about 150° and a breakthrough depth of at least 10 cm; and
an outlet configured to remove oil from the oil recovery chamber, the porous element including a hydrophobic and oleophilic mesh configured to separate oil from water in situ via capillary action.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The liquid separating device of claim 1, wherein the porous element, when coated, has a surface roughness higher than the porous element when uncoated.