This study presents the development and characterization of a conductive composite membrane aimed at efficient oil-water separation via electrofiltration. The membrane comprises interconnected OH-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (OH-MWCNTs) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Optimization parameters, including surface electrical resistance, water contact angle, and pure water permeance, were conducted, yielding an optimized membrane with a surface resistance of 256 Ω/sq, a contact angle of 39±2°, and a pure water permeance of 508.15 LMH/bar. The critical electric field intensity (Ecrit) was identified at 8–10 V, beyond which voltage increments had minimal flux impact. Electrofiltration experiments, incorporating filtration and backwashing, demonstrated enhanced permeate flux and oil particle removal rates under an applied electric field. Despite salt presence inducing flux reduction and fouling increase, membrane performance was still enhanced by the electric field. Energy consumption analysis revealed a 32 % reduction when combining electrical field with conventional filtration and backwashing, even at 1 mM concentration, compared to conventional filtration alone. This conductive composite membrane presents a promising, sustainable solution for effective crude oil/water separation across industries, offering improved performance, reduced fouling, and lower energy consumption.
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