Due　to　interfacial　defects　and　agglomeration,　role　of　metal　ions　in　mixed　matrix　membrane　during　pervaporation　is　not　fairly　demonstrated　and　not　fully　taken　advantage　of.　Through　surface　modification　of　pristine　PMePP　membrane　and　the　followed　ion　exchange　treatments,　PMePP-M　membranes　containing　Cu2+,　Mn2+,　or　Pb2+　ions　were　obtained.　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS)　analysis　confirms　the　successful　exchange　of　Cu2+,　Mn2+,　or　Pb2+　ions　onto　the　membrane　surface.　Pervaporation　results　show　that　the　removal　of　thiophene　from　model　gasoline　by　pristine　PMePP　membrane　or　modified　PMePP　membranes　is　a　solution-diffusion　controlled　process　while　it　shifts　to　a　solution　controlled　process　for　PMePP-M　membranes.　It　provides　important　evidence　for　the　facilitated　thiophene　mass　transport　via　metal　ions.　PMePP-M　membranes　show　superior　selectivity　in　a　Robeson　type　plot　and　their　performance　locates　above　the　upper　bound　of　literature　reported　thiophene　permeability　and　selectivity.　In　the　meantime,　it　is　proved　that　post-treatment　and　control　of　oxidation　temperature　can　compensate　the　decrease　of　pervaporative　flux　caused　by　the　change　in　surface　hydrophobicity　and　the　introduction　of　electric　charge.　(c)　2013　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.