Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) represent a new and special class of metal organic frameworks comprised of

imidazolate linkers and metal ions, with structures similar to conventional aluminosilicate zeolites. Their intrinsic
porous characteristics, abundant functionalities as well as exceptional thermal and chemical stabilities have led to a
wide range of potential applications for various ZIF materials. Explosive research activities ranging from synthesis
approaches to attractive applications of ZIFs have emerged in this rapidly developing field in the past 5 years. In this
review, the development and recent progress towards different synthesis strategies to generate both powder and
membrane/film-based ZIF materials are analysed and summarised. Their attractive and potential applications in gas
separation, catalysis, sensing and electronic devices, and drug delivery in the past years are discussed and
reviewed. In addition, the prospects and potential new development of ZIF materials are presented.

Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs), a subclass of metal organic frameworks, are built of tetrahedral metal ions
bridged by imidazolates. They have permanent porosity and relatively high thermal and chemical stability, which
make them attractive candidates for many industrial applications. In recent years, significant progress has been made
in developing ZIFs into membranes and thin films for gas separation, liquid separation (pervaporation) and functional
devices. Various techniques, such as direct synthesis, secondary synthesis, reactive seeding and functional
chemicals as linkers, and contra-diffusion synthesis, have been reported for the fabrication of ZIF membranes and
films. As ZIFs have good compatibility with polymers, they have been incorporated into polymers with high loadings to
form mixed matrix membranes. The resulting symmetric dense or asymmetric composite membranes exhibit good
performance in gas separation and liquid separation via pervaporation. The recent developments of ZIF
membranes/films, ZIFpolymer mixed matrix membranes and their applications are reviewed in this article.