After 30 years of R&D, zeolite membranes became commercialized as supported layer. A zeolite layer of a few µm or even below 1 µm is crystallized on a porous alumina support. The only commercial application is de-watering of different organic solvents. No large-scale industrial gas separation using zeolite membranes is known. 
Since 15 years we are exploring metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as molecular sieve. Different to zeolites, MOFs can be mildly activated and, therefore, grown on cheap polymeric substrates. Since the organic linker matches very well with organic polymers, MOFs are promising fillers for mixed matrix membranes (MMM). 
Innovative membrane reactors in situ combine a (catalytic) chemical reaction with a separation. The extraction of the product molecule water using hydrophilic zeolite membranes can support esterification, methanol-to-olefins, DME synthesis from methanol or methylamine synthesis. Use of dense oxygen-selective perovskite membranes can support oxidative transformation of methane to syngas, olefins, aromatics.