Multi-functional protective materials and methods for use

Abstract

A reactive-adsorptive protective material having an activated carbon adsorbent for adsorbing chemical impurities, wherein nanoparticular entities are loaded into and onto a surface of said activated carbon adsorbent to further impart chemically reactive and biocidal properties onto the activated carbon for providing protection against chemical and biological agents in the atmosphere. Advantageously, a superior reactive-adsorptive material is provided having the ability to kill microorganisms in addition to the ability to neutralize and decompose chemical substances, while at the same time not diminishing the adsorptive/reactive capabilities and effectiveness of either the substrate carbon or the loaded nanoparticular entities used.

1 . A method of combating a chemical or biological agent with an activated carbon based decontaminant, comprising the steps of:
 providing finely-divided metal containing nanocrystals which possess protective properties;   combining a reactive halogen with the nanocrystals; and   loading the halogenated nanocrystals onto an activated carbon adsorbent by (i) avoiding chemical changes and reactions to the nanocrystals and (ii) without interfering with the activated carbon's ability to combat an adsorbable threat; and   exposing the adsorbent to an environment whereby the protective nanocrystals are adapted to combat chemical or biological threats contained within the environment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said finely-divided nanocrystals consist of a product made by a process comprising an aerogel technique wherein a metal methoxide solution is hydrolized followed by thermal conversion to metal containing nanocrystals having reactive and adsorptive properties. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said metal containing nanocrystals have a BET multi-point surface area greater than 1200 m 2 /g and an average pore radius of between 46 Angstroms and 100 Angstroms. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metal containing nanocrystals are capable of destructively adsorbing or chemisorbing hydrocarbons and chlorinated hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metal containing nanocrystals have an MeS average permeation rate ten times better than the untreated control at 1 hour. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said textile-based decontaminant has liquid/vapor HD and GD reduction in cumulative mass values between 61% and 99.8%. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said protective nanocrystals are selected from the group consisting of chemically adsorptive nanoparticles, chemically reactive nanoparticles, biocidally reactive nanoparticles and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said nanocrystals are selected from the group consisting of metal oxides nanocrystals, metal hydroxide nanocrystals, metal hydrate nanocrystals, and POM nanocrystals, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said combining step further includes adding an additional material to the activated carbon, where the additional material is selected from the group consisting of a metal oxide, an alkali metal, a metal nitrate, SO 2 , NO 2 , ozone, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising loading metal ions onto said reactive-adsorptive protective material, prior to said step of loading nanoparticular entities. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said loading step includes one of infusing metal ions, perfusing metal ions and wettlerizing metal ions. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the metal ions comprise metallic salts. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the metal ions are adapted to combat chemical blood agent threats. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said nanocrystals are formed from 1-200 nm sized nanoparticle clusters. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said nanocrystals tend to clump together into clusters due to van der Waals forces, and wherein said loading step includes:
 controlling van der Waals forces to preserve the nanocrystals surface to volume ratio during embedding of the nanocrystals into the activated carbon.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the activated carbon is derived from a gel-type ion exchange resin. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pore density in the activated carbon microstructure is at least 0.6 cm 3 /g. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the pore density in the activated carbon microstructure is at least 0.6 cm 3 /g.