The　membrane　surface　wettability　is　one　of　the　most　important　factors　influencing　the　solution-diffusion-controlled　pervaporation　process.　In　this　work,　a　novel　conceptual　methodology　for　the　construction　of　a　superhydrophilic　water　uptake　layer　is　proposed　to　overcome　the　limitation　of　trade-off　effects.　Rapid　implementation　of　this　strategy　is　possible　by　spray-assisted　biomineralization　of　calcium　carbonate　(CaCO3)　onto　a　(poly(acrylic　acid)/poly(ethyleneimine))(n)/polyacrylonitrile　((PAA/PEI)(n)/PAN)　membrane.　Scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　energy　dispersive　spectrometer　(EDS),　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD)　and　Fourier　transform　infrared　(FTIR)　spectroscopy　confirmed　the　formation　of　a　hierarchical　lotus　CaCO3　layer　with　calcite　crystals　on　the　outermost　layer.　The　water　contact　angle　dramatically　decreased　from　74　to　4.2　after　biomineralizing　CaCO3　micro-nano-particles.　In　the　pervaporation　separation　of　ethanol/water　mixtures,　the　water　content　could　be　enriched　from　5　wt%　to　98.8　wt%　while　the　permeate　flux　reached　1317　g/(m(2)　h),　which　is　almost　five　times　that　of　a　pure　polyelectrolyte　membrane　without　biomineralizing　CaCO3.　This　suggests　that　the　CaCO3　water　uptake　layer　plays　a　very　important　role　in　achieving　high　flux.　These　results　indicate　that　biomineralization　of　micro-nano-particles　is　a　facile　strategy　to　fabricate　a　superhydrophilic　surface　and,　in　turn,　improve　the　membrane　performance.　(C)　2016　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.