Electrical Conductivity of Zeolite Films: Influence of Charge Balancing Cations and Crystal Structure

The electrical conductivity of a series of zeolites varying the charge balancing cation, the crystal structure, and the water content has been measured. The current intensity versus voltage profiles of cells constructed with a conductive glass indium tin oxide anode, an aluminum cathode, and a 50 μm zeolite layer were highly reproducible. Typically, zeolites exhibit a semiconductor profile, dramatically increasing the electrical conductivity from the initial insulator regime to a conductive regime at breaking voltages between 3.5 and 5 V. By adsorbing on the external surface ruthenium trisbipyridyl, we have assessed that the global electrical conductivity of the zeolite films depends on both the external and internal parameters of the zeolite. The fact that the overall electrical conductivity has a component due to the intraparticle conductivity is relevant in the context of developing applications for zeolite-encapsulated guests in nanotechnology.