Dynamic coating of MF/UF membranes for fouling mitigation

A method of applying an anti-fouling layer to a membrane surface of a membrane within a fluid system comprising the steps of:

• providing the membrane surface;
• applying a stimuli responsive layer to the membrane surface;
• and
• applying a dynamic protective layer over the stimuli responsive layer, the dynamic protective layer formed of nanoparticles smaller than 1 μm thereby forming a membrane system including the anti-fouling layer comprised of the stimuli responsive layer and the dynamic protective layer on at least part of the membrane surface,
• wherein the stimuli responsive layer is responsive to a stimuli including a temperature, a light, a surfactant, or a micelle,
• wherein the stimuli responsive layer is comprised of a stimuli responsive polymer material acting as an adhesive to aid in adhering the dynamic protective layer to the membrane surface,
• wherein the stimuli causes a reduction in an adhesive character of the stimuli responsive layer and causes release or removal of the dynamic protective layer from a membrane system in which the membrane surface is arranged, and
• wherein the dynamic protective layer is formed of a material having a property selected from the group consisting of ion exchange, redox, induced catalytic, and induced complexation properties.