One-pot synthesis of PDDA-mediated CuO-functionalized activated carbon fabric for sarin detoxification with enhanced strength and permeability for NBC protective clothing

Abstract

Chemical warfare agents (CWAs) are extremely lethal substances used in warfare and terrorism, capable of causing permanent damage even in small doses, despite medical intervention. Therefore, detection, protection, and detoxification of CWAs are vital for the safety of first responders, military personnel, and civilians, driving significant research in this area. Herein, we designed and synthesized a poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) mediated cupric oxide (CuO) functionalized activated carbon fabric (ACF), termed ACF@PDDA-CuO, as an adsorbent filter material for self-detoxifying chemical protective clothing. PDDA, a positively charged polyelectrolyte, effectively binds in-situ synthesized CuO to the negatively charged ACF surface, serving as a suitable binder. This study demonstrates the synergistic effects of PDDA-CuO functionalization on ACF, where PDDA treatment enhanced mechanical and comfort properties, and CuO crystal growth significantly improved detoxification efficacy against the CWA Nerve Agent Sarin. Comprehensive analyses, including FTIR, BET surface area analysis, SEM, EDS, TEM, STEM, TGA, XPS, and XRD, confirmed the uniform deposition of CuO and PDDA on the ACF surface. The Cu content on ACF@PDDA-CuO samples was measured via iodometric titration. The materials were evaluated for tensile strength, air permeability, water vapor permeability, nerve agent (Sarin) detoxification, and blister agent (Sulfur Mustard) breakthrough time to assess their applicability for protective clothing. The optimized PDDA-CuO on ACF detoxified 82.04% of Sarin within 18 h, compared to 25.22% by ACF alone, and enhanced tensile strength by 23.67%, air permeability by 24.63%, and water vapor permeability by 3.94%, while maintaining protection against Sulfur Mustard for 24 h. These findings indicate that ACF@PDDA-CuO is a promising candidate for CWA protective clothing, offering robust protection with enhanced comfort.