MOF catalyst capable of disabling chemical weapons
Zirconium-based framework breaks down nerve agent mimic within 30 seconds
Initially synthesised in the 1930s, nerve agents were used extensively in the Iran–Iraq war in the 1980s. The consequences of using these lethal organophosphates were made clear in August 2013, when a chemical attack in the suburbs of Damascus in Syria killed an estimated 1500 civilians. The Syrian government has since destroyed its stockpiles, but safely and rapidly destroying such stores is still a major headache for authorities.
Now, Omar Farha and his colleagues at Northwestern University may have found a solution to this problem.
This article provides a link to coverage by Chemistry World.
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