Membrane　surface　modification　by　forming　a　functional　layer　is　an　effective　way　to　improve　the　antifouling　properties　of　membranes;　however,　the　additional　layer　and　the　potential　blockage　of　bulk　pores　may　increase　the　mass　transfer　resistance　and　reduce　the　permeability.　In　this　study,　we　applied　a　novel　method　of　preparing　anti-fouling　membranes　for　membrane　distillation　by　dispersing　graphene　oxide　(GO)　on　the　channel　surface　of　polyvinylidene　fluoride　membranes.　The　surface　morphology　and　properties　were　characterized　by　scanning　electron　microscopy,　atomic　force　microscope,　and　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectrometry.　Compared　to　the　membrane　surface　modification　by　nanoparticles　(e.g.　SiO2),　GO　was　mainly　located　on　the　pore　surface　of　the　membrane　bulk,　rather　than　being　formed　as　an　individual　layer　onto　the　membrane　surface.　The　performance　was　evaluated　via　a　direct-contact　membrane　distillation　process　with　anionic　and　cationic　surfactants　as　the　foulants,　separately.　Compared　to　the　pristine　PVDF　membrane,　the　anti-fouling　behavior　and　distillate　flux　of　the　GO-modified　membranes　were　improved,　especially　when　using　the　anionic　surfactant　as　the　foulant.　The　enhanced　anti-fouling　performance　can　be　attributed　to　the　oxygen　containing　functional　groups　in　GO　and　the　healing　of　the　membrane　pore　defects.　This　method　may　provide　an　effective　route　to　manipulate　membrane　pore　surface　properties　for　anti-fouling　separation　without　increasing　mass　transfer　resistance.　(C)　2018　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.