Nanobubble-enabled wetting control in membrane distillation via interfacial modulation

Surfactant-induced membrane wetting critically undermines membrane distillation (MD), yet its nanoscale origins remain elusive. Here, we investigate the role of nanobubbles (NBs) as dynamic interfacial modulators that disrupt wetting pathways at the membrane–liquid interface. By coupling real-time impedance spectroscopy with molecular dynamics simulations and contact angle kinetics, we demonstrate that NBs form metastable gaseous domains on hydrophobic membranes, physically and chemically impeding the adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and pore intrusion. NB pretreatment extends wetting resistance by up to 3×, while NB-mediated cleaning re-establishes interfacial exclusion zones, sustaining salt rejection under surfactant stress. Our findings reveal a dual-function mechanism in which NBs modulate interfacial thermodynamics and surfactant transport, offering a scalable, non-invasive paradigm for engineering wetting-resilient MD systems.