Electrically conductive zeolite/carbon nanotubes honeycomb monoliths for enhanced electric swing adsorption

Electrification of temperature swing adsorption processes is necessary to align with the future energy paradigm. Joule heating has been identified as a viable method for regenerating adsorbent bed after saturation. In this work, we report the fabrication of novel composite monoliths with enhanced electrical properties for use in electrical swing adsorption (ESA) applications. In addition to zeolitic adsorbents (ZSM-5 or 13X) and binders, various amounts of multiwalled carbon nanotubes were added to tune the electrical conductivity of the composites. The monoliths were characterized in terms of their adsorption properties, electrical conductivity and Joule heating behavior. The most promising materials were further evaluated in ESA-based breakthrough experiments using synthetic flue gas (CO₂/N₂ 15:85 v/v) and 1-butanol vapor. These tests demonstrated the general suitability of the these composites in ESA-based separation processes, achieving rapid heating (under 1 min.) to temperatures up to 235 °C. Overall, this study presents a simple and effective strategy for preparing electrically conducive monoliths capable of fast and efficient Joule heating, offering potential for scalable, energy-efficient separation technologies.