New WMD Protection Material Developed

By Chris Schneidmiller, Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON — Researchers at the University of Arkansas have used nanotechnology to create a paper-like substance that could offer next-generation protection against biological and chemical agents (see GSN, March 23, 2005).

The material assembled from nanowires — wires less than 10 billionths of a meter across — could be used in gas masks or protective clothing worn by soldiers and emergency responders, said researcher Z. Ryan Tian, an assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry.

It could quickly break down toxins and pathogens upon contact.  The material also can be cleaned for reuse, Tian said.

“This is the next generation, the nanotechnology that is really applicable to the long-standing challenges in material science and the technology for real-world applications,” he said.  “This is also among the first to show that … the efforts and the tax dollars spent on developing new nanotechnology are very, very worthwhile.”

Nanotechnology exploits the behavior of materials in the size range of 10 to 100 nanometers, visible only through the most powerful microscopes.

Looking to build upon previous work by other researchers, five University of Arkansas scientists began in spring 2005 to create a multiuse material from the nanowires.

They heated base material in a sealed container for at least 24 hours at temperatures between 150 and 250 degrees Celsius.  This created a “white pulp-like product” of long nanowires that was washed and then cast into various three-dimensional shapes.

“It’s very much like cooking in a closed container.  Inside of there you have the raw materials and water and that’s it,” Tian said.

The material has the potential for use in armor, flame-retardant fabric, pollutant decomposition and controlled drug releases, the university said in a release.

Producing material that would offer protection from biological and chemical agents was always part of the plan, Tian said.

The nanowire material through photocatalytic decomposition has shown the capability to break down or even nearly destroy dangerous particles, Tian said.

The researchers were able to control the pore size and permeability of the nanowire-paper  material.  The pore size of material used in a gas mask must be small enough to prevent exposure to toxins and pathogens without blocking access to oxygen, Tian said.

The nanowire assemblies can also be easily cleaned using ultraviolet light or torch flame, Tian said.

Filter materials now in use do not offer the same reusability and capability to break down molecules, Tian said.  “Our nanowire paper can filter large pathogens, and at the same time catalytically decompose … nerve agents, while the currently in use filter paper has only the filtering function,” he told Global Security Newswire.

The Arkansas scientists plan to research the potential for developing the material into a fabric that could be used in protective gear, Tian said.

The project to date has cost $350,000.  The university has applied for patent protection for the nanowire assembly process.  With support from industry and the federal government, large-scale production could begin in the next one to two years, Tian said.

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