Nanomaterial-coated fabric destroys chemical warfare agents

A textile coated with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) could make an efficient anti-nerve agent material, according to experiments by researchers at Northwestern University in the US. The MOFs, which are based on zirconium, could act as catalysts to degrade chemical warfare agents such as VX and soman (GD) much faster than existing technologies, which are based on activated carbon and metal-oxide blends. The composite material, which might be used in protective suits and face masks for soldiers on the battlefield, does not require liquid water to work either, as previously thought.