A novel route for the synthesis of a porous, gas-permeable carbon thin film produced from a metal carbide layer was developed. The active carbon layer, known as carbide-derived carbon, was synthesized by chlorination at 350 degrees C of a TiC thin film deposited onto a macroporous ceramic substrate by a magnetron sputtering technique. The resulting carbon layer was similar to 500 nm in thickness with an amorphous carbon structure. Nitrogen permeability values of 67 Barrer are comparable to microporous polymer-derived carbon and advanced ceramic membranes. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.