Searching for nanofillers that have prominent barrier performance, good compatibility with polymer matrix and little chance of triggering galvanic corrosion remains a challenge in organic coating industries. In this study, ZIF nanosheets (ZIF-NS) were readily fabricated at room temperature and then used as additives in epoxy matrix for anticorrosion purpose. EIS demonstrated that epoxy doping with 0.5 wt% ZIF-NS possessed a resistance modulus at 0.01 Hz of 2.88 × 109 Ω·cm2 after immersion for 20 days, which was 2 orders of magnitude higher than that of neat epoxy. Owing to the restrained propagation of coating defects, as well as the tortuous diffusion channels for aggressive ions, ZIF nanosheets have showed great potential to form epoxy-based composite coatings on a large scale, and might pave the way for applications of other two-dimensional MOFs in industries. For the first time, ZIF nanosheets (ZIF-NS) are rapidly prepared at room temperature, and then used as additives in anticorrosive epoxy coatings. Owing to the barrier properties of 2D nanomaterials against aggressive ions, ZIF nanosheets have showed much better corrosion protection performance than ZIF-8 nanoparticle (ZIF-8-NP) in epoxy matrix. [Display omitted] • For the first time, two-dimensional ZIF nanosheets have been introduced into epoxy resin to form composite anticorrosive coatings. • ZIF nanosheets prepared with Zn2+ and 2-methylimidazole at room temperature showed good compatibility with epoxy matrix. • Anticorrosion properties of epoxy coatings dramatically improved after ZIF nanosheets were introduced. • ZIF nanosheets enhanced the barrier properties of composite coatings to aggressive ions better than ZIF-8 nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]