It is a dilemma for proton selective membranes to balance perm selectivity against ionic flux. To overcome this issue, a simple strategy for constructing H+ transfer channels in the membranes was proposed through the formation of acid-base pairs between basic 1-vinylimidazole (VI) monomers and acidified sullonated poly(2, 6-dimethyl-1, 4-phenylene oxide) (SPPO-H). The hydrogen bonding networks based on the acid-base interaction make the membranes compact and block Zn2+ transfer. On the other hand, the sullonic acid groups electrostatically interacted with imidazole groups can allow the transfer of H, leading to a considerable flux of H+ through such acid-base pairs membranes. As a I esult, the Final membranes exhibit an extremely low Zn2+ leakage but a considerable permeation of H+. This study shows that the aicd-base pairs membranes can be used for the treatment of zinc hydrometallurgy effluents. Specifically, the phase-separated morphology decreases the membrane area resistance without compromising its water uptake (WU) and ion exchange capacity (IEC). Meanwhile, the formation of acid-base pairs can enhance the thermal stability. (C) 2014 Elsevier By. All rights reserved.