Advances in synthesis pathways towards metal-organic frameworks-fiber composites for chemical warfare agents and simulants degradation
Ahamad Irfan, Upendar Reddy Gandra, Maguy Abi Jaoudé, Q. Ahsanulhaq, Gareth J. Price, Andrew D. Burrows, M. Infas H. Mohideen
Abstract
The need for effective protective garments and decontamination strategies to neutralize the life-threatening hazards from chemical warfare agents (CWA) remains crucial. Conventional protective equipment offers limited defense mechanisms to neutralize these agents, prompting the exploration of innovative materials. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising materials owing to their potential for catalytic degradation of CWA. Integrating MOFs into fibers or fabrics enhances their utility in personal protective equipment (PPE) and environmental decontamination. In this review, the progress achieved towards scalable, environment-friendly fabrication methods of MOF-fiber composites and the factors leading to the recent development in performance of these composites are analyzed. Hence, this review will serve as a valuable roadmap for future research and innovation in this critical area. Early methods of MOF-fiber composite synthesis were complex and unsustainable, hindering their practicality and scalability. Over time, much more facile and scalable synthesis strategies have emerged, yielding composites with equal or superior catalytic performance. However, challenges remain in achieving a fully facile, environment-friendly, and industrially viable synthesis. Future research should focus on greener and sustainable optimizations or novel pathways that can simultaneously ensure enhanced MOF-loading, dispersion, active site accessibility, and adhesion while having high scalability potential. With concerted research efforts in these directions, MOF-fiber composites stand poised to become leading materials for CWA degradation both at the personal and environmental levels.