Carbon monoxide adsorption on NaY zeolite and impregnated with 5% niobium: Characteristics and fixed‐bed study

Abstract Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic greenhouse gas frequently present in industrial processes such as hydrogen production and ammonia synthesis, where its efficient removal is required to prevent catalyst deactivation and comply with environmental regulations. In this study, CO adsorption was evaluated in fixed‐bed columns using NaY zeolite and NaY zeolite impregnated with 5 wt.% niobium. The adsorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS), nitrogen adsorption–desorption (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller [BET]), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). FTIR confirmed niobium incorporation through NbOSi and NbOAl bonds, while SEM‐EDS showed homogeneous metal distribution. XRD patterns indicated preservation of the faujasite (FAU) structure after impregnation and the absence of crystalline Nb 2 O 5 phases, suggesting highly dispersed niobium species. BET analysis revealed a reduction in specific surface area from 588.49 m 2 /g for NaY to 339.73 m 2 /g for NaY–5%Nb. Dynamic adsorption experiments were conducted at room temperature using a gas mixture containing 500 ppm CO in N 2 , a flow rate of 500 mL min −1 , and 3.5 g of adsorbent. Despite the reduced surface area, the niobium‐modified zeolite showed enhanced CO adsorption capacity (1.58 mg/g), approximately 11% higher than pristine NaY. Breakthrough curves were accurately described by the Thomas, Yoon–Nelson, and Boltzmann models ( R 2 > 0.999). These results demonstrate that niobium‐modified NaY zeolite is a stable and promising adsorbent for industrial CO removal.