In order to improve the surface hydrophilicity of microporous polypropylene membrane (MPPM)

a facile and effective method was developed to hydrophilize the surface of MPPM using CaCO3 mineral. This was achieved by dopamine oxypolymerization and alternate soaking mineralization (ASM). The resulted membranes were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)

environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM)

energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and water contact angle. The influences of mineralization conditions

such as solution concentration

number of ASM and polydopamine-coating degree on CaCO3-based mineralization degree were investigated. The results confirmed that CaCO3 mineral was dispersed uniformly on the surface of MPPM. Due to intrinsic wettability of CaCO3 mineral

the mineralized membranes were superhydrophilic

and showed excellent water permeability with high pure water flux (up to 6450 L·m-2·h-1) and low membrane permeation resistance. Under the drive of external pressure of 0.01MPa

water could permeate through the mineralized membranes. The separation ability of the mineralized membrane for oil/water emulsion was also investigated. The mineralized membranes could separate a range of oil/water emulsions effectively with high water flux (> 1800 L·m-2·h-1)

and could be easily cleaned by water

showing attractive potential for practical oil/water emulsion separation.