Zinc Titanate Nanofibers for the Detoxification of Chemical Warfare Simulants

Abstract

Fabrication of a novel ceramic nanofiber system viz. zinc titanate using the well‐known electrospinning technology with polyvinylpyrrolidone as a binder is reported. Use of zinc titanates as reactive sorbents to detoxify chemical warfare agents is hypothesized and proved. The zinc titanate nanofibers are tested against simulants of nerve and mustard agents and show satisfactory destructive activity. The extent of detoxification is measured using GC‐MS analysis. The products of reaction of zinc titanate against the simulants are identified and are found to be relatively harmless. The possibility of replacement of conventional‐activated carbon by electrospun ceramic nanofibers for face masks and protective clothing is proposed.

Band gap coupling in photocatalytic activity in ZnO–TiO2 thin films

“…For instance, the enhancement of the photocatalytic properties of the ZnO-TiO 2 composites, in comparison with TiO 2 oxide, for degrading organic substance has been reported by several authors [1][2][3][8][9][10][11]. In the preparation of the ZnO-TiO 2 system (anatase or/and rutile TiO 2 ), besides the ZnO and TiO 2 binary oxides, the ternary compounds ZnTiO 3 and Zn 2 TiO 4 are, in many cases, originated [12][13][14][15][16]. These titanates have also important photocatalytic properties, whether mixed with ZnO or TiO 2 , or with both: the reason why, at present, they are being widely studied [1,3,9,10,16].…”

Protective Clothing Based on Electrospun Nanofibrous Membranes

“…Ramakrishna et al successfully electrospun fibers with a reactive compound, (3-carboxy-4-iodosobenzyl) oxy-ˇ-cyclodextrin, and showed that these reactive fabrics can decompose paraoxon, an organophosphate pesticide [36]. In another study, electrospun zinc titanate nanofibers were tested as reactive sorbents capable of detoxifying nerve and mustard agent simulants [37]. Lev et al have studied chemical methods to counteract nerve agents and remediate organophosphate (OP) contamination by means of nanoparticles, polymers, and nanofibers functionalized by '-nucleophilic agents [38,39].…”

Nano-structured Solids and Heterogeneous Catalysts for the Selective Decontamination of Chemical Warfare Agents

“…Analogously, zinc titanate ceramic nanofi bers, in particular, with a ZnO-TiO 2 40-60 % composition, were proposed as active fi lters in face masks or protective clothing and have displayed a good detoxifi cation activity in the presence of paraoxon (as nerve CWA simulant) and of (2-chloroethyl)ethylsulfi de (CEES; another sulfur mustard simulant) [ 30 ] …”