ZIF-8　is　considered　as　a　promising　functional　material　in　anti-corrosion　coating　applications.　However,　ZIF-8　hydrolyzes　easily,　especially　in　acidic　and　salty　media,　due　to　its　unstable　Zn–N　coordination　bonding　and　hydrophilic　crystal　surface,　which　reduces　anti-corrosion　durability　of　the　coatings.　In　this　study,　highly　hydrophobic　modification　of　ZIF-8　particles　was　performed　through　simple　surface　ligand　exchange　with　5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole　(DMBIM).　The　as-prepared　ZIF-8/DMBIM　particles　showed　high　water-repellency　and　enhanced　chemical　stability　in　acidic,　neutral,　and　alkaline　media,　and　excellent　compatibility　and　barrier　function　in　epoxy　coatings.　As　a　consequence,　ZIF-8/DMBIM　modified　epoxy　coatings　showed　significantly　enhanced　corrosion　resistances　in　acid,　alkali　and　salt　aqueous　solutions　with　pH　3.0–11.0.　Electrochemical　impedance　spectroscopy　tests　demonstrated　that,　after　20　days　of　immersion　in　3.5　wt%　NaCl　solution　at　all　the　studied　pH,　the　|Z|0.01　Hz　values　of　ZIF-8/DMBIM　modified　epoxy　coatings　were　approximately　two　orders　of　magnitude　higher　than　of　the　original　epoxy　coatings.　This　work　provides　an　idea　for　the　development　and　application　of　ZIF　materials　in　more　fields,　and　innovative　anti-corrosion　coatings　based　on　functional　modification　of　materials.　©　2025　Elsevier　Ltd