Polyaniline impregnated activated carbon fabric: Adsorption and protection studies against nerve agent sarin

Abstract

The synergistic effect of polyaniline (PANI) was explored in detail by conducting experiments with liquid and vapour sarin (GB) exposure tests. For that, different samples were prepared and breakthrough behaviour, liquid sarin elution profile and dynamic adsorption of vapour were studied at a different doping level of PANI and activated carbon fabric (PANI-ACF) was optimized to achieve optimum breakthrough behaviour. The results reveal that PANI-ACF of a surface density of 1.2–1.27 g/cm2 has a high surface area (914–980 m2/g) and micropore volume (0.20–0.22 (mL/g). Specific breakthrough volume (BTV), breakthrough time (BTT) and average breakthrough concentration rate were determined and found to be 243 L/g, 220–350 min and 0.004–0.0014 μg h−1cm−2 respectively which is much better than only ACF. Hence, PANI reinforced ACF applies to selective adsorption of nerve agent sarin and consecutively in chemical nerve agent protection.