Constructing bio-inspired interconnected macro/meso/micro-porous zeolite coating via molecular soldering strategy for organic contamination adsorption

Organic molecular contamination presents a significant challenge in fields such as advanced semiconductor manufacturing, aerospace engineering, and ecological environment. Zeolite-based molecular adsorption coatings offer a promising solution due to their customizability and scalability. However, the intrinsic microporous structure of zeolites limits mass transfer and the diffusion of contaminant molecules, thereby significantly reducing the overall adsorption capacity of the coating. This study developed a molecular soldering strategy using polyphenolic acid to construct a zeolite coating featuring hierarchical interconnected macro/meso/micro pores for enhanced molecular contamination adsorption. In the resulting hierarchical system, macropores enhance accessibility by shortening diffusion pathways, mesopores function as intermediate channels that alleviate diffusion resistance and provide supplementary sites, and micropores act as the primary high-affinity domains for contamination molecules. Acting synergistically, these multi-scale pores maximize adsorption efficiency. The resulting coating features a high specific surface area (362.28 m²·g⁻¹), enhanced mechanical strength, and excellent vacuum adsorption capacity (266.7 mg·g⁻¹). Moreover, the coating retains a high binding capacity for molecular contamination under vacuum heating conditions without undergoing desorption. This work presents a scalable strategy for fabricating high-performance, interface-matched hierarchical adsorbents, with potential applications in semiconductor manufacturing, precision electronics, and aerospace engineering.