Carbon Membranes Derived from Natural Polymer Precursors: Fundamentals, Developments, and Perspectives for Pervaporation Desalination

Carbon membranes have emerged as a promising class of inorganic membranes for desalination due to their tunable pore structures, superior chemical and thermal stability, and molecular-sieving properties. In pursuit of sustainability, recent research has shifted focus towards replacing petrochemical-based precursors with renewable natural polymers. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the fundamentals, developments, and prospects of carbon membranes derived from natural polymer precursors-such as cellulose, chitosan, lignin, starch, and sugars-specifically for pervaporation desalination. It begins by summarizing the fundamentals of membrane separation and the mechanisms of carbon membrane formation, emphasizing the critical relationships between precursor structure, carbonization conditions, and the resulting membrane performance. The core of the review is dedicated to a detailed analysis of various natural polymer precursors, discussing their unique chemistries, carbonization behaviors, and the characteristics of the derived carbon membranes. Particular attention is given to their application in pervaporation desalination, where they demonstrate competitive water flux and high salt rejection (>99%) under moderate operating conditions, highlighting their potential for treating hypersaline brines. Finally, the challenges of large-scale fabrication, structural durability, and data-driven optimization are discussed, along with future directions toward scalable and sustainable membrane technologies.