Carbon molecular sieves membranes with atomic aluminum distributed in it||Carbon molecular sieves membranes with atomic aluminum distributed in it

A supported carbon molecular sieve membrane having aluminum atomically distributed in it, wherein: the aluminum is present in an amount of equal to or lower than 15 wt. % of the carbon molecular sieve membrane; the membrane comprises a pore size distribution in which at least 70% of the pores have a pore size from 0.25 to 0.7 nm; and which is obtainable by dip-coating a support with a solution comprising a phenolic-resin and aluminum ions, followed by carbonization. The carbon content of the carbon molecular sieve membrane is from 75 wt. % to 95 wt. %, the oxygen content is from 2.5 wt. % to 8 wt. %, and the hydrogen content is from 1.5 wt. % to 6% wt. %. These CMSMs are useful for gas separation, H2 recovery from natural gas grids, H2 production from biomass, solvent dehydration, obtaining oxygen-enriched air, or dehydrogenation of methylcyclohexane, and as a catalytic membrane reactor or part of a catalytic membrane reactor.