Mussel-inspired chemistry has attracted widespread interest in membrane science and technology. Demonstrating the rapid growth of this field over the past several years, substantial progress has been achieved in both mussel-inspired chemistry and membrane surface engineering based on musselinspired coatings. At this stage, it is valuable to summarize the most recent and distinctive developments, as well as to frame the challenges and opportunities remaining in this field. In this review, we present recent advances in rapid and controllable deposition of mussel-inspired coatings, dopamine-assisted co-deposition technology and photo-initiated grafting directly on mussel-inspired coatings. Some of these technologies have not yet been employed directly in membrane science. Beyond discussing advances in conventional membrane processes, we discuss emerging applications of mussel-inspired coatings in membranes, including as a skin layer in nanofiltration, interlayer in metalorganic framework based membranes, hydrophilic layer in Janus membranes and protective layer in catalytic membranes. Finally, we raise some critical unsolved challenges in this field and propose some potential pathways to address them.

Nanofiltration membranes are of great interest in brackish water desalination and drinking water purification.

Outdoor personal thermal comfort is of substantial significance to ameliorate the health conditions of pedestrian and outdoor laborer. However, the uncontrollable sunlight, substantial radiative loss, and intense temperature fluctuations in the outdoor environment present majestic challenges to outdoor personal thermal management. Here, we report an eco-friendly passive nanostructured textile which harvests energy from the sun and the outer space for optional localized heating and cooling. Compared to conventional heating/cooling textiles like black/ white cotton, its heating/cooling mode enables a skin simulator temperature increase/decrease of 8.1 °C/6 °C, respectively, under sunlight exposure. Meanwhile, the temperature gradient created between the textile and human skin allows a continuous electricity generation with thermoelectric modules. Owing to the exceptional outdoor thermoregulation ability, this Janus textile is promising to help maintain a comfortable microclimate for individuals in outdoor environment and provide a platform for pervasive power generation.

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