Volume 21, Issue 24 2503608
Research Article

Reactive Polymers of Intrinsic Microporous Aerogels for Rapid Mustard Gas Detoxification

Lirui Si

Lirui Si

Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Advanced Textiles, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620 China

Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 200051 China

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Jie Zhu

Jie Zhu

School of Textile and Fashion, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai, 201620 China

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Peixin Tang

Peixin Tang

Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 200051 China

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Md All Amin Newton

Md All Amin Newton

School of Textile and Fashion, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai, 201620 China

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Yang Si

Yang Si

Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 200051 China

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Jianyong Yu

Jianyong Yu

Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 200051 China

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Xueli Wang

Corresponding Author

Xueli Wang

Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 200051 China

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

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Zijian Dai

Corresponding Author

Zijian Dai

Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 200051 China

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]

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First published: 02 May 2025

Abstract

Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) have broad application prospects in the detoxification of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) due to their unique pore structure, good tunable reactivity, and solution processability. However, its pore structure is relatively homogeneous, resulting in high resistance to mass transfer. Here, inspired by fractal structure in nature, a structure engineering strategy is proposed to develop 3D reactive nanofibrous aerogels featuring hierarchical porous structures to minimize mass transfer resistance. These aerogels are fabricated with amidoxime-modified PIM-1 (AO-PIM-1) nanofibers serving as building units and flexible SiO2 nanofibers acting as reinforcement. The macro/mesopores of amidoxime-modified PIM-1 nanofibrous aerogels (APAs) originating from freeze-shaping and electrospinning provide interconnected channels for the diffusion of CWAs, and the intrinsic micropores of AO-PIM-1 can effectively trap and anchor adsorbate molecules. In addition, the reactivity of the APAs can be activated by chlorine bleaching. This process forms an N-chlorine structure, which effectively oxidizes the adsorbed CWAs simulant 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES) by APAs, converting them into non-toxic products. The resulting aerogels have the properties of ultralight weight (8 mg cm−3), reversible compression strain of 60%, and repeatable sulfur mustard decontamination (half-life of 1.27 min). These characteristics indicate significant potential for the use in protective materials against vesicant CWAs.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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