We present work detailing the destruction of the nerve agent simulant diisopropyl methylphosphonate (DIMP) via rapid laser heating under atmospheric conditions. Following Nd:YAG laser ablation of liquid DIMP deposited on a graphite substrate, both parent and product fragments are transmitted via capillary from an atmospheric chamber to a vacuum chamber containing a high-resolution mass spectrometer. This allows for real-time measurements of product distributions under a variety of temperature and atmospheric conditions. Ex situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis of the same chamber contents provides complementary information about product identities and fragmentation pathways. Results demonstrate that product distributions depend on heating rate, surface temperature, and atmospheric oxygen content. In the destruction of the DIMP, the relative yields of alkene products depends significantly on laser power; smaller products are relatively more abundant at higher ablation temperatures. We also show that in the absence of atmospheric oxygen, the concentration of oxygenated products decreases sharply relative to alkene and alkane products. This suggests that under high-temperature conditions, atmospheric oxygen is incorporated directly into the products of the fragmented simulant. This project extends significantly our understanding of the fundamental chemistry of these dangerous compounds under atmospheric and rapidly changing thermal conditions. The results have critical implications for the development of effective chemical warfare agent decontamination and destruction strategies.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.