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 in Nature , one of the world's leading scientific journals.

Crude oil is essential for far more than gasoline and other transportation fuels. It also supplies the raw materials used to manufacture plastics, packaging, clothing, and numerous everyday products.…