"Nano-Kebab" Fabric Breaks Down Chemical Warfare Agents

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Researchers have created a fabric material containing nanoscale fibers that are capable of degrading chemical warfare agents (CWAs). Uniform coatings of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were synthesized on top of the nanofibers, forming unique kebab-like structures. These MOFs are what break down the CWAs, rendering them harmless.

"Current technologies for addressing CWAs rely on carbon-based materials—but these carbon materials can only adsorb hazardous compounds, they can't degrade them," said Junjie Zhao, a former Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University, and lead author of a paper on the work.