Morphological control and structural evolution of ZIF-67: a comprehensive review centered on the classification of synthesis methods

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) has been widely investigated as a versatile porous platform in materials science due to its high porosity, tunable transition-metal centers, and diverse structural plasticity. However, the performance of ZIF-67 in high-end applications—for high-performance electrocatalysis—is heavily dependent on its crystal morphology and structural integrity. This review provides a comprehensive overview focused on the morphological control and structural evolution of ZIF-67. Initially, we systematically classify versatile synthesis strategies through the lens of thermodynamic-kinetic interplay, elucidating the mechanisms governing crystal nucleation and growth. Subsequently, we detail recent advances in structural engineering techniques, including the creation of ligand-missing defects, the assembly of multi-dimensional heterojunctions, and the evolution into complex hollow architectures or carbon-based derivatives. Furthermore, we highlight the importance of ZIF-67 in various fields and outline perspectives for the development of next-generation ZIF-67 functional materials. This review aims to provide mechanistic insights and experimental references for the rational design of structurally tunable ZIF-67.