(518e) Novel Graphene Oxide-Based Membrane Structure for a Highly Effective Breathable Barrier for Toxic Vapors and Chemical Warfare Agents

Garments protective against chemical warfare agents (CWAs) or accidentally-released toxic chemicals must protect from toxic gases/vapors by blocking their transport for substantial time and allow moisture transport for breathability. A number of approaches have been studied. A thick mixed matrix membrane having a high loading of metal organic framework HKUST-1 in an elastomeric triblock copolymer completely blocked 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES) (a simulant for sulfur mustard) for quite some time (i.e., high value of permeation lag time) but the moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) was low~192 g/m²-day (minimum needed, 1500-2000 g/m²-day). Using a highly breathable carbon nanotube (CNT) based membrane blocking biological agents, an alternative approach grew on the top surface of the CNTs a layer of polymer chains which reversibly collapsed in contact with a nerve agent simulant diethyl chlorophosphate (DCP) temporarily shutting CNT pore mouths and dramatically reducing the permeation rate of DCP. However, DCP permeation was restricted to ≈1% of the chemical challenge. Complete blockage for an extended period during use is absent. Our initial studies using a cross-linked graphene oxide (GO) laminate achieved 98.3% rejection of CEES on a steady basis after a short permeation lag time¹. Our newly developed GO based laminate structure however shows remarkable results namely, complete blockage of ammonia, Mustard (HD), Soman (GD), and a Sarin simulant, dimethyl methyl phosphonate, for 2750 min, 1075 min, 176 min, and 7 days respectively while moisture transmission rate was substantial. We will describe this structure and its performance.

¹Peng, C., Iqbal, Z., Sirkar, K. K., Peterson, G. W., Graphene oxide-based membrane as

protective barrier against toxic vapors and gases, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces. 2020, 12, 11094−11103.