Beyond Hydrophilicity: Mapping Multidimensional Interplay Governing Membrane Fouling in Wastewater Reclamation

= 0.526) and roughness (ρ = 0.386), significantly accelerates initial fouling (ρ = 1.150). While hydrophilicity mitigates initial-stage fouling, it may concurrently reduce cleaning efficiency. This is because hydrophilic loading could endow the membrane surface with high surface energy and elevate the absolute zeta potential value, and this synergy exacerbates irreversible foulant adsorption via strengthened interfacial interactions. Surface roughness indirectly impaired cleaning by enhancing permeability, whereas larger pores improved cleaning efficiency despite lowering normalized permeability (ρ = -1.077). This study establishes a multivariate optimization framework that transcends the conventional hydrophilicity-centric design paradigm, clarifying hydrophilicity's stage-dependent dual effects and the interdependent regulatory roles of membrane properties across distinct fouling stages, offering targeted guidance for the rational design of next-generation antifouling membranes.