Zeolite materials: Synthesis strategies and emerging applications in biomedicine, energy storage, and intelligent sensing

Jing Zhao

Ping Yang

Jun Yu

1,*

Weili Dai

1,*

*Correspondence to: Jun Yu, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China. E-mail: yujun@nankai.edu.cn
Weili Dai, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China. E-mail: weilidai@nankai.edu.cn

Smart Mater Devices. 2026;2:202651. 10.70401/smd.2026.0047

Received: August 07, 2026Accepted: September 11, 2026Published: September 11, 2026

This article belongs to the Special lssue Advanced Zeolite Materials for Energy and Environmental Catalysis

Abstract

Zeolite materials, featuring well-defined pore architectures, tunable framework structures, ion-exchange capability, and favorable thermal stability, have been widely utilized in catalysis, adsorption, and separation processes. Recent advances in synthetic strategies and functional modification have further extended their utility into a diverse range of emerging interdisciplinary fields. This review systematically surveys recent progress in zeolite synthesis and application, with a particular emphasis on elucidating the relationship between synthetic strategies, structural modulation, and resultant performance. Representative synthetic approaches, including hydrothermal, sonochemical, microwave-assisted, mechanochemical, dry-gel conversion, and molten-salt synthesis, are discussed in terms of their effects on crystal size, morphology, pore hierarchy, and framework composition. The emerging applications of zeolite materials in biomedicine, energy storage and conversion, and intelligent sensing are subsequently examined. In biomedical contexts, zeolite materials have shown promise in drug delivery, bone regeneration, diagnostic imaging and wound hemostasis, attributable to their controllable loading behavior, favorable ion-release properties, and biocompatibility. As for energy-related applications, they have been employed in electrochemical energy storage, separator modification, hydrogen storage, and thermal energy storage, achieved through precise pore structure regulation and interface engineering. In the realm of intelligent sensing, zeolite materials have evolved from passive sieving media into active functional components with enhanced selectivity and signal responsiveness. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the synthesis and functional applications of zeolites and discusses their prospects across a broad range of emerging interdisciplinary fields.

Keywords

Zeolite synthesis, emerging applications, biomedicine, energy storage, intelligent sensing

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Zhao J, Yang P, Yu J, Dai W. Zeolite materials: Synthesis strategies and emerging applications in biomedicine, energy storage, and intelligent sensing. Smart Mater Devices. 2026;2:202651. https://doi.org/10.70401/smd.2026.0047