Incorporation of ZnO Nanoislands in Nanoporous Zeolite 13X for the Adsorption of Molecular Contaminants in Outer Space

Recently, zeolites have been selected as a potential adsorbent for capturing space molecular contaminants owing to their strong adsorption ability and extreme stability in a harsh environment. Considering the adsorption process in a vacuum environment, enhancement of the adsorption performance of the zeolites is required. Unfortunately, up to now, the improved adsorption behavior for the space molecular contaminants of the modified zeolite adsorbent under ultralow pressure has rarely been reported. Herein, a 13X/ZnO adsorbent was prepared by incorporating ZnO nanoislands into the nanoporous zeolite 13X via atomic layer deposition (ALD). It is found that a representative 13X/ZnO-50 exhibits an increased adsorption capacity toward dimethyl phthalate and the outgassing species of J133 adhesive even under the ultralow pressure of 10–5 Pa. This could be attributed to the synergistic effects of physical interactions and chemical adsorption associated with the unique cage structure of the zeolite and the incorporated ALD-grown ZnO nanoislands. This work provides a useful strategy for developing the adsorbents used in space molecular contamination control during space missions.