Method for trapping noble gas atoms and molecules in oxide nanocages

A method of trapping noble gas atoms or molecules comprising:

• providing a metallic substrate, wherein the metallic substrate is selected from the group consisting of ruthenium (Ru), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), gold (Au), and cobalt (Co);
• forming one or more oxide nanocages on the metallic substrate to form a gas trapping assembly, wherein the one or more oxide nanocages comprises silica or aluminosilicate;
• applying a voltage to the metallic substrate;
• contacting the gas trapping assembly with a noble gas comprising noble gas atoms or noble gas molecules;
• ionizing the noble gas to form noble gas cations that enter the one or more oxide nanocages;
• and
• deionizing the noble gas cations,
• wherein, after the noble gas cations enter the one or more oxide nanocages of the gas trapping assembly, the deionization of the noble gas cations forms noble gas atoms or noble gas molecules having a maximum size that are trapped in the one or more oxide nanocages, and wherein the one or more oxide nanocages have a plurality of openings having a maximum dimension, and wherein the maximum dimension of the openings is less than the size of at least one noble gas atom or molecule.