Catalytic Thin Films for the Degradation of Organophosphates

A need for thin materials that can protect against hazardous chemicals still remains. Currently, butyl rubber is used due to its good barrier properties. Ideally, the material would detoxify the hazardous chemicals rather than merely act as a barrier against transport to the skin. In order to realize this goal, we have focused on creating catalytic thin films deposited by layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition on butyl rubber substrates. Since butyl rubber is inherently hydrophobic, the surface must be modified in order to form a charged surface to facilitate electrostatic attraction for LbL deposition. Here we explore the use of two different catalytic methods to detoxify organophosphorous compounds. Both enzymatic (Organophosphorus Hydrolase) and organocatalyst (oxime functionality) are incorporated into LbL films, and their ability to detoxify organophosphates is evaluated.