Functionalized Cellulose: PET Polymer Fibers with Zeolites for Detoxification Against Nerve Agents

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1077.2011.11558

Abstract

Abstract: Presently activated carbon is used as an adsorptive material for chemical and biological warfare agents. It possess excellent surface properties such as large surface area, fire-resistance and plenty availability, but has disadvantages such as its heavy weight, low breathability (after adsorption of moisture) and disposal. In this paper, we propose to utilize novel electrospun polymeric nanostructures having zeolites as catalyst materials. In this respective, the electrospun polymer nanofibers would serve as the best possible substitutes to activated carbon based protective clothing applications. This is the first in the literature that reports the integration of these types of catalysts with nanofiberous membranes.?Electrospinning of cellulose/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) blend nanofibers has been carried out. Zeolite catalysts (Linde Type A and Mordenite) for the detoxification of nerve agent stimulant-paraoxon, were prepared due to their relative simplicity of synthesis. The catalysts were then coated onto nanofiber membranes and their morphology was confirmed using SEM. This is the first report on the coating of nanofibers with zeolites and their successful demonstration against nerve agent stimulant. The UV absorption spectra clearly show the detoxification ability of the functionalized fibers and their potential to be used in textiles for protection and decontamination.

Key words: electrospinning, electrospraying, nano-fibers, cellulose/PET, linde type A (LTA), mordenite

Agarwal Satya R, Sundarrajan Subramanian, Ramakrishna Seeram. Functionalized Cellulose: PET Polymer Fibers with Zeolites for Detoxification Against Nerve Agents[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2012, 27(3): 332-336.

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