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KIST Transfers Oil Pollution Removal Technology to Cheongsu Industry (2017.12.14)
- Date : 2018-01-16
- Views : 5813
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International Cooperation Team
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KIST Transfers Oil Pollution Removal Technology to Cheongsu Industry
- World’s first “nano oil-scooper” technology for combatting pollution
- Expected to be commercialized for overseas markets
On December 13, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) signed a technology transfer agreement with Cheongsu Industry regarding new technology for removing oil from polluted water using a nano oil-scooper. A down payment of KRW 1.2 billion was agreed upon, with a licensing fee of 3%.
The team that developed this technology was led by Dr. Moon Myoung-Woon, head of KIST’s Computational Science Research Center. They used plasma to create a high aspect ratio nano structure on the surface of porous hydrophilic material, fashioning it into a nano oil-scooper. When polluted water enters the scooper, the water at the bottom forms a thin, porous layer that traps the oil while allowing the remaining water to pass through. Since it requires no power source, is easy to use, and allows for recovery of the spilled oil, this technology is highly efficient for guarding against the environmental damage and adverse economic impact of oceanic oil spills.
Through Cheongsu Industry’s commercialization efforts, KIST aims to corner the marine pollution prevention market, which is predicted to reach USD 13.4 billion globally and KRW 800 billion domestically by the year 2020.