Background:　The　fouling　caused　by　oils　and　other　contaminants　is　the　critical　obstacle　for　the　membrane　application　in　oil-in-water　emulsion　separation.　Method:　To　increase　the　hydrophilicity　of　the　membrane,　a　substrate-independent　approach　was　developed,　in　which　the　catechol　derivative　dopamine　methacrylamide　(DMA)　was　deposited　on　the　membrane　followed　by　UV　copolymerization　of　2-methacryloyloxyethyl　phosphorylcholine　(MPC).　Both　hydrophobic　membrane,　poly(vinylidene　fluoride),　and　hydrophilic　membrane,　polyethersulfone,　became　superhydrophilic　after　modification.　The　obtained　membranes　were　characterized　by　Fourier-transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FTIR),　Drop　shape　analyzer　(DSA),　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　(XPS),　scanning　electron　microscope　(SEM),　and　membrane　pore-size　analyzer.　Additionally,　pure　water　flux　and　oil-in-water　emulsion　separation　performance　were　evaluated　for　the　selected　samples.　Significant　findings:　The　pure　water　flux　of　the　modified　membrane　was　increased　from　490　L/m2　h　and　612　L/m2　h　to　1564　L/m2　h　and　2219　L/m2　h　under　the　optimal　concentration　of　MPC　for　PVDF　and　PES　membranes,　respectively,　which　is　more　than　three　times　that　of　the　pristine　membrane.　Furthermore,　the　obtained　membrane　demonstrated　enhanced　oil-in-water　emulsion　separation　efficiency　as　well　as　superior　antifouling　capabilities.　The　developed　strategy　is　not　restricted　by　the　membrane　materials,　and　might　provide　a　new　strategy　for　membrane　surface　modification　aimed　at　oil-in-water　emulsion　separation.　©　2022　Taiwan　Institute　of　Chemical　Engineers