This　study　aims　to　compare　the　anti-wetting　and　anti-fouling　surface　behavior　in　membrane　distillation　(MD)　by　two　surface　modification　routes　on　porous　polyvinylidene　fluoride　(PVDF)　membranes.　A　superhydrophobic　membrane　(SiO2-PFTS/PVDF)　was　obtained　by　dynamically　forming　1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl　trichlorosilane　containing　SiO2　nanoparticles　on　the　membrane　surface　as　in　our　previous　study;　whereas　a　superhydrophilic　membrane　(PVA/PVDF)　was　developed　by　attaching　a　thin　layer　of　poly(vinylalcohol)　hydrogel　onto　the　membrane＇s　surface.　The　effects　of　surface　modification　on　their　anti-wetting　or　anti-fouling　properties　were　examined　in　MD　using　an　aqueous　NaCl　solution　with　various　organic　foulants　(e.g.,　kerosene,　humic　acid　(HA),　and　sodium　dodecyl　benzene　sulfonate　(SDBS)).　The　results　showed　that　the　superhydrophobic　SiO2-PFTS/PVDF　membrane　displayed　excellent　self-cleaning　characteristics　and　wetting　resistance　against　all　three　studied　foulants.　In　contrast,　the　hydrophilic　surface　layer　of　the　PVA/PVDF　membrane　only　slowed　down　wetting　and　fouling　when　in　contact　with　kerosene　and　HA.　Nonetheless,　when　dealing　with　SDBS,　its　anti-wettability　performance　was　comparable　to　that　of　the　SiO2-PFTS/PVDF　membrane.　The　superhydrophobic　SiO2-PFTS/PVDF　membrane　exhibited　anti-fouling　and　anti-wetting　behaviors　even　though　the　extended　Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek　theory　indicated　the　attraction　force　between　the　membrane　surface　and　all　three　foulants.　(C)　2017　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.