• Novel mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) were fabricated by incorporating amino-functionalized UiO-66-NH2 into carboxylated polyaryletherketone (C-SPAEKS), significantly enhancing hydrophilicity and negative surface charge.
• The optimized C-SPAEKS/Am-UiO-66-NH2 membrane achieved a high pure water flux of 482.3 L·m−2·h−1 and a bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection rate of 98.7%, demonstrating excellent permeation and separation performance.
• Flux recovery ratio increased from 56.2% to 80.55% after hydrophilic modification, indicating improved fouling resistance and reusability for protein-containing wastewater treatment.
• The membranes exhibited stable ultrafiltration performance over 300 minutes of operation, highlighting their potential for long-term applications in wastewater treatment.