Protecting emergency workers and armed forces from volatile toxic compounds: Applicability of reversible conductive polymer-based sensors in barrier materials.

Barrier materials have wide applicability in both professional (military, medical, industrial) and non-professional (leisure and sports) fields. This paper focuses on the preparation of real conductive polymer (CP) sensors, for the study of the permeation of volatile toxic compounds through barrier materials. Use of such a CP sensor can help improve the quality of barrier materials used in protective clothing. Several types of platforms have been manufactured or purchased for use as comb sensors with different electrode dimensions, and a suitable method of applying the detection layer of conductive polymers (polyaniline and poly-pyrrole) has been developed. Prepared sensors were obtained using various technologies and were assessed not only for response to exposure to vapors of volatile toxic substances, but also for the possibility of their incorporation into a permeation cell, in order to expand the possibilities of using existing permeation devices. The resulting conductivity of the surface film ranges from 50 to 10,000 µS/cm. When exposed to ethanol vapors, the conductivity of the sensors dropped significantly and returned to the original value after exposure ended. The conductivity of the B12 CP sensor was in the range of 10-100 mS/cm and is considered the most valuable tested sensor. CPs deposited on this substrate have very high sensitivity in units of ppm (in special cases, even ppb) within the detection of analytes (in this case toxic vapors of ethanol, acetic acid) and the ability to return to initial (zero) conductivity.

Protective Properties of a Microstructure Composed of Barrier Nanostructured Organics and SiOx Layers Deposited on a Polymer Matrix.

The SiOx barrier nanocoatings have been prepared on selected polymer matrices to increase their resistance against permeation of toxic substances. The aim has been to find out whether the method of vacuum plasma deposition of SiOx barrier nanocoatings on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foil used by Aluminium Company of Canada (ALCAN) company (ALCAN Packaging Kreuzlingen AG (SA/Ltd., Kreuzlingen, Switzerland) within the production of CERAMIS® packaging materials with barrier properties can also be used to increase the resistance of foils from other polymers against the permeation of organic solvents and other toxic liquids. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) microstructure of SiOx nanocoatings prepared by thermal deposition from SiO in vacuum by the Plasma Assisted Physical Vapour Deposition (PA-PVD) method or vacuum deposition of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) by the Plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) method have been studied. The microstructure and behavior of samples when exposed to a liquid test substance in relation to the barrier properties is described.

Preparation of Filtration Sorptive Materials from Nanofibers, Bicofibers, and Textile Adsorbents without Binders Employment.

The article deals with the preparation and possibilities of using combined filtration sorption systems usable for the construction of folded filters or respirators. The studied materials are made of several structural layers-a filter membrane made of polymeric nanofibers, an adsorbent containing active carbon or porous silicon dioxide nanofibers, and a supporting or cover nonwoven bicomponent fabric. The layers are connected only by pressure at an elevated temperature without the use of binders, according to utility model PUV 31 375. The result is a compact fabric material of textile character with a high permeability, good mechanical resistance, which effectively catches the submicron particles and the gases of the organic substances. The prepared samples of the filter sorptive material have been evaluated not only from the point of view of morphology and microstructure, but also from the point of view of the capture of pollutants.