Five cool things our surface scientists do

Surface science can make a big difference to our health, well-being and environment. Our surface scientists at Durham have been working on a whole range of applications that have already changed our lives in some way (think mobile phones and puddles) and could make a real difference to people around the world, particularly in developing countries. Here are five examples. Cleaning up oil spills Oil spills happen fairly often, including big ones in oceans and seas as well as smaller ones on industrial sites. All have a damaging impact on the environment and wildlife so there is a clear need to find new easy, quick ways to separate oil from water. This is exactly what our surface scientists have done. They have invented a smart coating that can be sprayed onto a mesh.