Prospects of an Electroactive Carbon Nanotube Membrane toward Environmental Applications

Rapid population growth and industrialization have driven the emergence of advanced electrochemical and membrane technologies for environmental and energy applications. Electrochemical processes have potential for chemical transformations, chloralkali disinfection, and energy storage. Membrane separations have potential for gas, fluid, and chemical purification. Electrochemical and membrane technologies are often used additively in the same unit process, e.g., the chloroalkali process where a membrane is used to separate cathodic and anodic products from scavenging each other. However, to access the maximal potential requires intimate hybridization of the two technologies into an electroactive membrane. The combination of the two discrete technologies results in a range of synergisms such as reduced footprint, increased processing kinetics, reduced fouling, and increased energy efficiency.Due to their high specific surface area, excellent electric conductivity, and desirable robustness, 1D carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hold promise for many applications over a range of industry sectors such as a base material for electrodes and membranes. Importantly, CNT morphology and surface chemistry can be rationally modified and fine-tuning of these CNT physicochemical properties can enhance their functionality toward practical applications. The CNT 1D form allows assembly of a stable thin-film fibrous network by a variety of facile techniques. These CNT networks have pore sizes in the range of 10-500 nm (d_pore ∼ 6-8d_CNT) and thicknesses of 10-200 μm, both similar to those of classical polymer membranes, thus allowing for straightforward incorporation into commercial membrane devices modified for electroactivity inclusion.In this Account, CNTs and their composites are used as model electroactive porous materials to exemplify the design strategies and environmental applications of emerging electroactive membrane technology. The Account begins with a brief summary of the electroactive membrane design principles and flow processes developed by our groups. After the methodology section, a detailed discussion is provided on the underlying physical-chemical mechanisms that govern the electroactive membrane technology. Then we summarize our findings on the rational design of several flow-through electrochemical CNT filtration systems focused on either anodic oxidation reactions or cathodic reduction reactions. Subsequently, we discuss a recently discovered electrochemical valence-state-regulation strategy that is capable to detoxify and sequester heavy metal ions. Finally, we conclude the Account with our perspectives toward future development of the electroactive membrane technology.