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Abstract: Silica nanoparticles of diameter, 24–75nm and surface area, 875m2/g were synthesized using aero-gel route. Thereafter, nanoparticles were impregnated with reactive chemicals, and used as reactive adsorbent to study the removal of toxic nerve and blister chemical warfare agents and their simulants from solutions. Trichloroisocyanuric acid impregnated silica nanoparticles showed the best performance and indicated physisorption followed by chemisorption/degradation of toxicants. This indicated their suitability as universal decontaminant for nerve and blister agents. This system showed a decrease in t 1/2 from 1210 to 2.8min for the removal of king of chemical warfare agents, i.e., sulphur mustard. Hydrolysis, dehydrohalogenation and oxidation reactions were found to be the route of degradation of toxicants over impregnated silica nanoparticles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: High surface area (887.3m2/g) silica nanoparticles were synthesized using aerogel route and thereafter, characterized by N2-Brunauer–Emmet–Teller (BET), SEM and TEM techniques. The data indicated the formation of nanoparticles of silica in the size range of 24–75nm with mesoporous characteristics. Later, these were impregnated with reactive chemicals such as N-chloro compounds, oxaziridines, polyoxometalates, etc., which have already been proven to be effective against sulphur mustard (HD). Thus, developed novel mesoporous reactive sorbents were tested for their self-decontaminating feature by conducting studies on kinetics of adsorptive removal of HD from solution. Trichloroisocyanuric acid impregnated silica nanoparticles (10%, w/w)-based system was found to be the best with least half-life value (t 1/2 =2.8min) among prepared systems to remove and detoxify HD into nontoxic degradation products. Hydrolysis, dehydrohalogenation and oxidation reactions were found to be the route of degradation of HD over prepared sorbents. The study also inferred that 10% loading of impregnants over high surface area and low density silica nanoparticles enhances the rate of reaction kinetics and seems to be useful in the field of heterogeneous reaction kinetics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]