ABSTRACT Carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes prepared by pyrolysis of polymeric precursors exhibit superior permeation‐selectivity synergy in the separation of common gases compared to conventional polymer membranes due to their unique bimodal pore structure. The chemical composition and spatial structure of the precursors used to prepare CMS membranes can significantly impact the ultimate microporous structure and separation performance of these membranes. In this paper, from the dimensions of the type of precursors, the chain structure of precursors and the incidental groups, respectively, we analyze in depth how the structure of the precursors influences the gas separation performance of derived CMS membranes. Finally, based on the precursor engineering strategy, we propose some customized design suggestions for high performance CMS membranes, aiming to provide a valuable reference for the innovation of CMS membrane materials.
Wu et al. (2026) studied this question.