Nanocrystalline metal oxides: A new family of mesoporous inorganic materials useful for destructive adsorption of environmental toxins

IEC 85

Kenneth J. Klabunde, Gavin Medine, Alexander Bedilo, and Peter Stoimenov. Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506
A modified aerogel procedure (MAP) has been used for the preparation of a series of reactive nanocrystalline oxides, including MgO, CaO, SrO, Al2O3, ZnO, and mixed oxides. These materials possess extraordinarily high surface areas, unusual crystal morphologies, and large pore volumes. Also, solid acid/base properties can be tuned by choice of metal ion and by intimately mixing metal oxides by the MAP process (by starting with metal alkoxide precursors). These nanomaterials possess remarkable sorptive properties and destructively adsorb numerous toxic industrial chemicals and military warfare agents, including chlorocarbons, acid gases, and even military warfare agents. Furthermore some nanoparticle formulations have biocidal properties toward viruses, bacteria, and spores. Also, water borne natural toxins can be detoxified. A series of examples will be discussed, including hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, carbon tetrachloride, and bacterial species bacillus cereus (surrogate of anthrax), and the microcystin family of natural toxins.