Plasma-assisted CO2 desorption and in situ conversion over ZSM-5 for integrated carbon capture and utilization

CO 2 capture and conversion offer a promising route to reduce emissions and support a circular carbon economy. However, conventional CO 2 regeneration typically relies on temperature- or pressure-swing processes, which can limit rapid and dynamically operated capture–conversion systems. In this work, we develop an integrated CO 2 capture–desorption–conversion approach that combines low-temperature CO 2 physisorption on ZSM-5 with plasma-assisted regeneration and in situ conversion in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor. Upon plasma ignition, pre-adsorbed CO 2 was rapidly released and simultaneously converted to CO without external heating during the plasma-assisted regeneration stage. Total CO 2 desorption fractions of 81.4–85.3% were achieved, compared with approximately 40–47% during physical desorption by Ar purging alone. CO 2 desorption and conversion were strongly dependent on adsorption temperature, discharge power, and Ar flow rate. Notably, increasing discharge power promoted CO 2 desorption but reduced CO 2 conversion, whereas increasing the Ar flow rate enhanced CO 2 conversion with only a minor influence on total desorption. In situ plasma-coupled Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed the formation of monodentate and bidentate carbonate species during plasma exposure. Together with the transient CO 2 and CO profiles, these observations suggest two concurrent routes for CO formation: rapid gas-phase activation of desorbed CO 2 and a possible slower surface-mediated pathway involving carbonate species. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of coupling CO 2 capture, electrically driven sorbent regeneration, and conversion within a single plasma–sorbent system, offering a flexible approach to integrated carbon capture and utilization (ICCU).