Characterization of supported nanoporous carbon membranes

A new method for the fabrication of supported nanoporous carbon membranes, involving ultrasonic deposition of the polymer precursor, is presented here . The method has been used to produce mechanically robust, continuous films of nanoporous carbon on tubular, macroporous stainless steel supports usin g polyfurfuryl alcohol as the polymer precursor. The films, which were char acterized using microscopy and spectrometry, show unprecedented molecular s ieving selectivities for very small molecules, such as oxygen, nitrogen, he lium, and hydrogen.