Organic/inorganic　hybrid　membranes　for　separation　applications　have　been　widely　studied.　However,　achieving　a　uniform　dispersion　of　inorganic　fillers　in　the　polymer　matrix　is　a　primary　challenge　in　the　advancement　of　mixed-matrix　membranes　(MMMs).　In　the　present　study,　a　method　for　in　situ　assembly　enhanced　by　sonication　was　developed　to　prepare　hydrophobic　polydimethylsiloxane　(PDMS)/nanoparticle　hybrid　membranes.　Results　from　scanning　electron　microscopy　(SEM),　energy-dispersive　X-ray　(EDX)　spectrometry,　and　atomic　force　microscopy　(AFM)　suggest　that　through　ultrasonic　cavitation　during　assembly　of　the　hybrid　membrane,　this　method　could　effectively　avoid　nanoscale　agglomeration　and　in　turn　uniformly　disperse　inorganic　particles　within　the　polymer　matrix.　This　method　thus　enabled　the　preparation　of　an　organophilic　membrane　with　higher　hydrophobicity　and　higher　performance.　For　example,　the　contact　angle　(CA)　of　SiO2/PDMS　hybrid　membrane　increased　from　135.5　degrees　to　146.3　degrees,　and　the　separation　factor　for　the　pervaporation　of　5%　ethanol/water　mixture　increased　from　7.3　to　12.5.　Furthermore,　the　method　was　used　to　prepare　a　zeolite　imidazolate　framework-8　(ZIF-8)-filled　PDMS　membrane.　The　ZIF-8/PDMS　hybrid　membrane　showed　high　performance　in　the　pervaporation　of　alcohol/water　mixtures.　These　results　further　suggest　that　in　situ　assembly　via　sonication　is　a　promising　approach　to　improve　the　dispersion　of　inorganic　fillers　and　thus　the　membrane　performance.　(C)　2015　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved,