Polyphenylene sulfone/graphene oxide (PPSU/GO) mixed matrix membranes with different GO contents are prepared by phase inversion technique using, PEG-1000 as porogen, and N, N-dimethylacetamide (DMAC) as solvent. The hydrophilicity and pure water flux of the membrane are investigated. The morphology, hydrophilicity, thermodynamic stability and compatibility of the membranes are characterized by various techniques such as SEM, TGA, FTIR and so on. The permeation properties of the membrane are measured in terms of pure water flux and bovine serum albumin (BSA) retention. The results indicate that when the GO content is 1.5 wt%, an evenly distributed finger structure has been formed in the mixed matrix membranes. Owing to the presence of GO, the hydrophilicity and the thermal stability of the membranes are improved, and the fouling resistance is also enhanced. (C) 2017 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press. All rights reserved.