Instantaneous hydrolysis of nerve-agent simulants with a six-connected zirconium-based metal-organic framework.

Abstract

A nerve-agent simulant based on a phosphate ester is hydrolyzed using a MOF-based catalyst. Suspensions of MOF-808 (6-connected), a material featuring 6-connected zirconium nodes, display the highest hydrolysis rates among all MOFs that have been reported to date. A plug-flow reactor was also prepared with MOF-808 (6-connected) as the active layer. Deployed in a simple filtration scheme, the reactor displayed high hydrolysis efficiency and reusability.