Recent advances on electroactive CNT-based membranes for environmental applications: The perfect match of electrochemistry and membrane separation

ABSTRACT Global climate change, growing population, and environmental pollution underscore the need for a greater focus on providing advanced water treatment technologies. Although electrochemical based-processes are becoming promising solutions, they still face challenges owing to mass transport and upscaling which hinder the exploitation of this technology. Electrode design and reactor configuration are key factors for achieving operational improvements. The electroactive membrane has proven to be a breakthrough technology integrating electrochemistry and membrane separation with an enhanced mass transport by convection. In this review article, we discuss recent progress in environmental applications of electroactive membranes with particular focus on those composed of carbon nanotubes (CNT) due to their intriguing physicochemical properties. Their applications in degradation of refractory contaminants, detoxification and sequestration of toxic heavy metal ions, and membrane fouling alleviations are systematically reviewed. We then discuss the existing limitations and opportunities for future research. The development of advanced electroactive systems depends on interdisciplinary collaborations in the areas of materials, electrochemistry, membrane development, and environmental sciences