Zeolite adsorbents having a high external surface area and uses thereof

A process for separation of at least one gas mixture, wherein the process comprises feeding the at least one gas mixture to at least one FAU zeolite adsorbent material, wherein the at least one FAU zeolite adsorbent material has physical properties that are measured on the FAU zeolite adsorbent material that has been at least 95% exchanged with sodium, and wherein the physical properties comprise:

• an external surface area, measured by nitrogen adsorption and expressed in m2 per gram of the FAU zeolite adsorbent material, of greater than 20 m2·g−1;
• a non-zeolite phase (PNZ) content, such that 0<PNZ≦30% as measured by XRD (X-ray diffraction), by weight relative to the total weight of the FAU zeolite adsorbent material;
• a mesopore volume of between 0.08 cm3·g−1 and 0.25 cm3·g−1, limits included;
• and
• an Si/Al atomic ratio of the FAU zeolite adsorbent material of between 1 and 2.5.