Metallic membranes can be prepared by various techniques. This work introduces a novel method for the preparation of metallic membranes using wire arc spraying. The formed metallic membranes were characterized by metallographic techniques such as microscopy image analysis. The distance between gun and the substrate surface, which is called spray distance or gun distance, was selected as the variable of metal spraying. The effects of gun distance on coating properties and membrane performance were investigated. The metallographic and performance data showed that the range of 35-40 cm is the optimum gun distance for spraying. Ion rejection capability of the prepared membrane was tested using saline water as the feed. Moreover the filtration capability of the prepared membranes for blue indigo dye particles was investigated. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis and SEM technique were used for the investigation of filtration mechanism. The results indicate that the prepared stainless steel membrane is able to efficiently remove particles from water. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.