For homogeneous liquid processes, mixing at molecular scale may influence selectivity, yield and quality of final products. In a membrane-dispersion reactor, microporous membranes are employed as dispersion media for controlled feeding of one solution into another one to intensify micromixing. The reactor has been widely used in the preparation of nanoparticles, preparation of nanocapsules and liposomes, synthesis of polymers, parallel and consecutive reactions to improve nanoparticles quality, molecular weight distribution of polymer, or selectivity of complex reactions. This paper reviewed the progress of the membrane-dispersion reactor in homogeneous liquid processing including features, applications, advantages and limits. (c) 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.