Precise controlling pore size distribution at sub-angstrom scale in granular novel carbon molecular sieves derived from coconut shell for separating ethylene and ethane

• • CBCMS-800 achieves a C2H4 uptake of 2.15 mmol/g and a C2H4/C2H6 uptake ratio of 15.36 at 298 K and 100 kPa, matching the selectivity of advanced MOFs but at a fraction of the cost, enabling energy-efficient separation. • • The material exhibits a molecular recognition resolution of 0.28 Å, precisely differentiating C2H4 (4.16 Å) from C2H6 (4.44 Å), a critical threshold for molecular sieving that eliminates the need for cryogenic distillation at −160 °C. • • The synthesis uses coconut shells without any chemicals, yielding granular CMS with excellent structural stability and low preparation cost, addressing scalability and sustainability bottlenecks that hinder MOF commercialization. • • Breakthrough curves demonstrate effective C2H4/C2H6 separation under dynamic conditions, with the three-region model providing a mechanistic framework for tuning PSD at sub-angstrom levels, guiding future CMS design for light hydrocarbon separations.