This study investigates the preparation of thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes by incorporating polyoxometalate based open frameworks (POM-OFs) within polyamide active layer. The POM-OFs was synthesized using quaternary graphene oxide (QGO) as an organic cationic linker and blue lemon polyoxometalate as POM unite that termed as LGO-OFs. Thin-film composite (TFC) forward osmosis (FO) membrane was prepared by interfacial polymerization procedure using m-phenylenediamine (MPD) dispersion in water and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) dispersion in an organic solvent as two immiscible monomers solution. To fabricate TFN membranes, LGO-OFs were dispersed in the organic solution of TMC monomer. SEM images proved the alteration of polyamide morphology by LGO-OFs loading and the water contact angle measurement approved enhancing the surface hydrophilicity by increasing the LGO-OFs loading. The results of the FO tests exhibited that the water flux for 1000 ppm of LGO-OFs embedded TFN membrane was 34.7 LMH, representing 188% improvement compared to the TFC membrane, although the reverse salt flux negligible was increased. These results could be ascribed to the influence of LGO-OFs incorporation on the hydrophilicity and surface morphology of polyamide active layer. (C) 2019 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.