Carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-polyacrylic acid (PM) composite film has been successfully fabricated by electrophoretic deposition method in PM aqueous solution containing CNTs and used as electrodes for capacitive deionization (CDI). The PAA serves as the cation-exchange polymer and the matrix to incorporate the CNTs. The CM unit cell based on CNTs-PM composite film electrode exhibits a high NaCl removal of 83%, 51% higher than that of the cell based on pure CNTs electrode, with a good regeneration ability. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.