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Zinc Titanate Nanofibers for the Detoxification of Chemical Warfare Simulants
Author(s) -
Ramaseshan Ramakrishnan,
Ramakrishna Seeram
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1551-2916.2007.01633.x
Subject(s) - zinc , polyvinylpyrrolidone , nanofiber , titanate , electrospinning , ceramic , materials science , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , composite material , polymer chemistry , metallurgy , polymer , engineering
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.