Fabrication of all biomass-based carbonized aerogels for efficient oil separation

Crude oil emulsions, comprising stable water-in-oil mixtures, present significant challenges during extraction and processing operations in the oil and gas industry. These emulsions are formed by the presence of natural emulsifiers such as wax, solids, resins, and asphaltenes, which organize at the oil/water interface to create rigid films. Efficient separation of oil and water is essential for cost-effective and high-quality oil production. Reservoir conditions, surfactants and crude oil composition influence emulsion stability. The formation of crude oil emulsions leads to decreased production efficiency, increased viscosity, equipment corrosion, pollution, and higher operational costs. Demulsification, the process of separating emulsions into their individual phases, is a critical procedure in the oil and gas sector. Chemical demulsification is the most commonly used method, offering advantages such as cost-effectiveness, high efficiency, scalability, and easy integration into existing plants. However, commercial demulsifiers, typically composed of alkylphenolformaldehyde resins and polymeric surfactants, are not always green. As environmental regulations become stricter and the demand for eco-friendly solutions increases, there is a pressing need to develop greener demulsifiers that are less toxic yet effective. This review highlights recent endeavors at producing environmentally friendly, biobased products (cellulose, lignin, chitosan, guar gum, CNSL, tannic acid, etc.) as demulsifiers in response to the depletion of petroleum resources and evolving environmental concerns, aligning with the principles of sustainability, ecosystem efficacy, and green chemistry.

Abstract Despite significant advances in oil transport, existing channels remain susceptible to chemical corrosion, resulting in material degradation and eventual functional failure. Here, a biomimetic two‐order wedge channel (TOWC) is presented that combines the chemical inertness of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and the precision of femtosecond laser microfabrication. The TOWC integrates a primary wedge channel with secondary micro‐wedge arrays, enabling anti‐gravity transport of low‐surface‐tension (LST) oils at velocities up to 57.9 mm s −1 in air and 15.8 mm s −1 underwater. The enhanced Laplace pressure and capillary rise at the corners, distinct from common single‐wedge/grooved structures, are identified as the key driving forces governing LST liquid transport. Notably, the TOWC exhibits exceptional corrosion resistance, retaining over 95% of its transport efficiency after 30 days of immersion in saturated acetic acid and sodium hydroxide, far exceeding the durability of glass, PDMS, and aluminum counterparts. It also demonstrates remarkable abrasion resistance, maintaining stable performance over 200 cycles of sandy impact. Furthermore, the TOWC enables selective separation of immiscible oils with surface tension differences as small as 1 mN m −1 , long‐distance transport along reconfigurable pathways, and efficient collection of floating oil droplets. This work offers a durable platform for advanced applications in chemical microreactors, targeted drug delivery, and lab‐on‐chip systems.

The effects of milk fat (4%, 7%, and 14%) and sugar (20%, 27%, and 30%) content on the physical and sensory properties of pistachio spread (PS) were assessed. Previously, pistachio pastes (PP) were prepared with three particle sizes (large, medium, and small). Small-sized PP was used for nine PS formulations based on the above milk fat and sugar contents. Instrumental texture and color, rheological properties (20–45 °C), and oil separation (4 °C and 25 °C, 9 months of storage) were analyzed in PP and PS. Textural attributes were also evaluated sensorially in PS samples. The oil separation rate in samples stored for 9 months was <1% for PS (4 °C) and >2% for PP and PS (25 °C). The lightness was lower in large-sized PP and higher in PS samples with sugar and milk fat. All PP and PS samples exhibited non-Newtonian behavior with a yield stress. Firmness, spreadability, and adhesiveness were lower in PS samples containing only milk fat. In contrast, they were higher in PS samples containing only sugar. PS samples with 7% milk fat and 27% sugar scored highest for flavor, taste, and acceptability. This study provides the first systematic evaluation of how particle size, milk fat, and sucrose collectively influence the rheological and textural behavior of clean-label Boz Antep pistachio spreads, offering a solid scientific basis for optimizing additive-free nut-based formulations.

ABSTRACT Ultrafiltration membranes were fabricated from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polycarbonate (PC), then characterized using FESEM, porosity, contact angle, pure water flux (PWF) and oil separation in a cross‐flow system. Fouling behaviour was evaluated through cake filtration–pore blocking models. FESEM micrographs revealed that blending PC into PVC increased the size and number of finger‐like pores, enhancing membrane porosity. The presence of PC carbonate groups improved mechanical resistance compared to neat PVC. Incorporating 6 wt% PC produced an optimized membrane with a contact angle of 60.94°, PWF of 472.40 L·m −2 ·h −1 , oil rejection of 98.65% and antifouling performance (FR: 46.63%, IFR: 52.47%). Modelling results showed that the cake filtration–complete blockage model best fit neat PVC data, while the standard blockage model suited PVC/PC membranes. Although further long‐term and large‐scale studies are recommended, these blend membranes offer a cost‐effective, high‐performance and environmentally sustainable solution for oily wastewater treatment applications.

Multifunctional cellulose-based aerogel with ultra-stable superhydrophobicity and thermal responsiveness for oil-water separation.

Dopamine-assisted Sr-MOF@Hap in-situ growth for ultrafast oil-water separation and crude oil separation

Sustainable superhydrophobic and superoleophilic jute for oil-spill clean-up in aquatic system.

The physical properties and emulsion stability of peanut butter are affected by its composition. This study investigated the effects of the chemical compositions of Korean peanut cultivars on the quality and storage stability of additive-free natural peanut butter. Peanut butter made from four cultivars ('Sinpalkwang', 'Daan', 'Hae-Ol', and 'K-Ol2ho') was evaluated for changes in quality over a 12 week storage period under three different temperature conditions (4 °C, 25 °C, and 40 °C). Oxidation accelerated with increasing storage temperature and duration, with the most rapid deterioration occurring at high temperatures. In the later stages of the storage period, significant changes in texture and color were observed, which indicated quality degradation. High-oleic cultivars ('Hae-Ol' and 'K-Ol2ho') exhibited significantly higher oxidative stability than normal cultivars (P < 0.05). The 'Hae-Ol' cultivar maintained lower peroxide and acid values throughout storage, demonstrating superior oxidative stability. 'Hae-Ol' exhibited the least oil separation, minimal color changes, and the least textural deformation during storage, all indicating excellent quality retention. Selecting high-oleic peanut cultivars and using low-temperature storage constitute effective strategies for enhancing the quality stability of natural peanut butter. This study provides foundational data for the development of high-quality peanut butter. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Zwitterionic surfactants have been used as foaming agentsin EnhancedOil Recovery due to their foamability, tolerance to reservoir conditions,low toxicity, and low adsorption on reservoir rocks. However, in thecase of back-production, the impact of zwitterionic surfactants onwater-in-crude oil (W/O) emulsions and produced water remains unclear,representing a knowledge gap in the field. The present study evaluatedthe effect of three commercial zwitterionic surfactants, at concentrationsranging from 50 to 1000 ppm, on water–oil separation usinga Brazilian Pre-Salt crude oil. Emulsion formation, separation kinetics,and water quality were assessed through bottle tests, droplet sizemicroscopy, and oil-in-water content analysis. At the lowest concentration(50 ppm), these surfactants promoted coalescence and sedimentationof W/O emulsions faster than traditional nonionic and anionic surfactants.Separation kinetics increased as surfactant concentration increasedup to 200 ppm, but concentrations above 500 ppm induced the formationof multiple emulsions (W/O/W). After 72 h, these emulsions separated,and the aqueous phase still contained residual oil droplets, indicatingpotential challenges associated with the disposal or reuse of producedwater. Surfactant hydrophobicity, reduction in interfacial tension,and critical micelle concentration were critical properties influencingthe observed effects. The surfactant with higher hydrophobicity induceda more significant and rapid reduction in interfacial tension, resultingin faster W/O separation at low concentrations but compromising waterquality at high concentrations. These results indicate that carefulselection and monitoring of surfactants during EOR operations canoptimize oil recovery efficiency while minimizing operational andenvironmental risks upstream.

This article presents a comprehensive review of methods for the disposal and recycling of machine coolants, with a particular focus on ecological and technological perspectives. Coolants, essential in various industrial processes including metalworking, play a critical role in lubrication and heat dissipation. However, once spent, they become a source of significant environmental challenges due to contamination, the presence of machining oils, and the need to comply with strict environmental regulations. The article discusses the most commonly used coolant treatment technologies, such as vacuum evaporation, oil separation, regeneration, incineration, biological treatment, and chemical processing. The review emphasizes methods suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises, considering their economic efficiency, technological feasibility, and regulatory compliance. Additionally, emerging directions for future development are identified, including biotechnology and advanced membrane processes, which may contribute to more sustainable management of coolant waste.

Liquid Chromatographic Separation and FT-ICR MS of Crude Oils: Insights from Polar Fractions

ABSTRACTAsphaltenes, naturally occurring surfactants in crude oil play a pivotal role in stabilizing oily foams during primary oil processing. Accordingly, understanding how antifoam formulations influence asphaltene aggregation is essential. This study investigates the effect of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with varying molar masses on asphaltene organization using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). SEM provided morphological characterization of the asphaltene aggregates, showing that PDMS with different molar masses alters both the size and structure of these clusters. AFM offered complementary nanoscale insights, revealing how PDMS impacts the interfacial behavior of asphaltenes. The findings demonstrate that PDMS molar mass significantly affects the dispersion and aggregation of asphaltenes, highlighting its potential for enhancing additive performance in petroleum processing. Overall, this study advances the understanding of PDMS–asphaltene interactions and supports the development of more effective solutions for oil and gas separation in primary processing in the oil industry.

The impact of airflow rate, baffle submergence, and baffle position on the efficiency of oil and grease separation in aeration-based wastewater treatment systems was examined in this study. The objective was to optimize the oil separation process by analyzing how these factors influenced separation efficiency. Experiments were carried out at varying airflow rates (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.8 L/s), using a pore diameter of 1.5 mm and baffle submergence of 1, 5, and 10 cm. The presence of both transverse and longitudinal baffles inside the basin was tested at a water depth of 45 cm. The highest separation efficiency of 45.29% was achieved at an airflow rate of 0.4 L/s when a longitudinal baffle was submerged at 5 cm, along with the presence of both transverse baffles. A decrease in efficiency was observed at higher airflow rates due to excessive turbulence and oil emulsification. Additionally, the placement of transverse baffles at both positions was found to enhance separation efficiency to 36.3%, compared to 27.3% and 29.5% when a single baffle was placed individually at the first and second positions, respectively. All tests were performed using a gravimetric method. These findings emphasized the importance of optimizing airflow rates and baffle position for effective oil and grease separation, offering valuable insights into the design and operation of aeration systems in wastewater treatment.

Microwave pretreatment of Camellia oleifera seed enhances the oil releasing and decreases lipase activity in wet extraction technology.

Recent progress and comprehensive review of hydroxyapatite-based materials for adsorption, photocatalysis, and oil separation from wastewater

Multifunctional reticulated ZIF-8@GO/PAN/PEI composite membranes: Simultaneous selective adsorption of Se(IV) and separation of selenium-containing oils and waters

Self-cleaning PDA/TA/FeOOH-PVDF membrane for efficient separation of volatile oil from water of traditional Chinese medicine

Natural wax-assisted anisotropic crystallization on hierarchical polydimethylsiloxane sponge: Harnessing interfacial surface energy for efficient oil-water mixture and nanoemulsion separation.

Experimental study on reducing the base sediment and water in crude oil separation