Disclosed is a method of decontamination by exposing a zirconium oxy(hydroxide) aerogel to a liquid, vapor, or gaseous sample suspected of containing a phosphonate compound. The aerogel may be doped with Fe.sup.3+ ions, Ce.sup.3+ ions, or SO.sub.4.sup.2− ions. The aerogel may be made by: providing a solution of ZrCl.sub.4; FeCl.sub.3, CeCl.sub.3, or Zr(SO.sub.4).sub.2; and a solvent; adding a cyclic ether to the solution to form a gel; infiltrating the gel with liquid carbon dioxide; applying a temperature and pressure to form supercritical fluid carbon dioxide; and removing the carbon dioxide for form an aerogel.

Materials for decontamination of compounds having a phosphorous-sulfur bond or a phosphorous-oxygen bond. A porous polymer, such as poly(dicyclopentadiene), contains particles of zirconium hydroxide. The polymer optionally has hydroperoxide groups.

A method of detoxifying a liquid chemical agent is provided using a surface-modified metal organic framework having an amine-based compound deposited on a surface and pores thereof, or bonded to the inside of a frame, wherein when the surface-modified metal organic framework comes into contact with the liquid chemical agent, a reaction with moisture in the atmosphere occurs and, the liquid chemical agent is removed through a hydrolysis reaction, thereby detoxifying chemical agents, such as nerve agents and vesicants, and assuring a high detoxification effect on liquid chemical agents at room temperature even with a small amount of the surface-modified metal organic framework.

Doped metal oxide compositions are provided that consist essentially of: fluoride; alumina; and less than 10% H.sub.2O. Detoxification reactions are provided that can include a mixture of less than 50% by weight doped metal oxide composition and chemical warfare agent. Cartridges are provided that can include a doped metal oxide composition, the composition including: fluoride and alumina. Methods for detoxifying a chemical warfare agent are also provided. The methods can include exposing the chemical warfare agent to a doped metal oxide composition, wherein the doped metal oxide composition is less than 50% by mass of the chemical warfare agent.

A metal organic framework (MOF)-polymer composite for detoxifying a chemical warfare agent (CWA) comprises MOF nanoparticles having catalytically active Lewis acid sites and at least one polymer having catalytically active basic sites. The composite is configured such that the at least one polymer is in surrounding relation to the MOF nanoparticles such that at least a portion of the Lewis acid sites of the MOF nanoparticles are in proximal relation to at least a portion of the basic sites of the at least one polymer thereby forming a plurality of proximal acid-base interfaces thus enabling a bifunctional catalytic mechanism for detoxifying the CWA. The MOF-polymer composite can provide CWA detoxification without the presence of a basic compound.

Disclosed is a method of decontamination by exposing a zirconium oxy(hydroxide) aerogel to a liquid, vapor, or gaseous sample suspected of containing a phosphonate compound. The aerogel may be doped with Fe.sup.3+ ions, Ce.sup.3+ ions, or SO.sub.4.sup.2− ions. The aerogel may be made by: providing a solution of ZrCl.sub.4; FeCl.sub.3, CeCl.sub.3, or Zr(SO.sub.4).sub.2; and a solvent; adding a cyclic ether to the solution to form a gel; infiltrating the gel with liquid carbon dioxide; applying a temperature and pressure to form supercritical fluid carbon dioxide; and removing the carbon dioxide for form an aerogel.

The present invention relates to single thread composite fibers comprising at least one binder and at least one active catalyst for the capture and degradation of chemical threats such as chemical warfare agents (CWA), biological warfare agents, and toxic industrial chemicals (TIC) and a method for producing the same. The invention fibers are applicable to the fields of protective garments, filtration materials, and decontamination materials.

The present invention relates to a metal-organic framework composition, as well as constructs and methods thereof. In one particular example, the composition is employed to degrade a chemical agent in a non-aqueous environment.

Provided herein is a library of designed phosphotriesterase (PTE) enzymes, exhibiting an improved catalytic hydrolysis activity of various substrates, including nerve agents, and a general method of generating and using the same.

An improved flow rate metering device that provides for the mixing and dispensing of two or more fluids to form final mixture, for example, for automatic washing of cars and trucks. More specifically, the invention is a system that mixes and ejects chemicals, creating a very precise mixture of one or more chemicals with a dilutant, such as water. The device also has the capability of monitoring an entire chemical dilution and release system, comprising multiple chemicals, and using software to document past and current usage rates, along with predicting future usage rates based upon both past usage rates and environmental conditions.