Press releases
Please quote Nature Materials as the source of these items.
August 2004
Nanotube membranes filter petroleum and microbes
Benzene gas sprayed through a nozzle and heat are the simple requirements for producing a new cylindrical membrane made of carbon nanotubes. A report in the September issue of Nature Materials, by P. M. Ajayan and colleagues at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Banaras Hindu University, illustrates the ease of manufacturing of these hollow cylinders, and proves their utility in two important settings: the separation of heavy hydrocarbons from petroleum and the decontamination of water from bacteria and viruses.
The cylindrical filters are strong, reusable and resist heat. Their particular geometry — the carbon nanotubes are densely packed in the radial direction of the cylinders — is a very practical one because it allows direct use of the as-prepared filters in cross-flow filtration and minimizes blockage.
The filtration experiments suggest that these filters may be useful in the production of gasoline with high octane quality. Moreover, these filters were successful in separating various pathogenic agents, such as Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, and even the much smaller poliovirus.
