Improved M8 Chemical Agent Detector Paper for Facilities Monitoring

The goal of this Phase I project is to develop coatings for M8 paper that improve its robustness and rate of detection of potential liquid/aerosol chemical warfare attack at fixed military sites and installations. A problem that is currently experienced with M8 paper is that it is easily contaminated by dust or destroyed by rain and thus requires frequent replacement in outdoor environments. Our initial studies have shown that, while commercially available M8 paper does posses minimal water repellant characteristics, droplets of water stick to the paper"s surface and penetrate into the paper over time, ultimately degrading its performance for CW detection. OSS will develop coatings that eliminate this issue by allowing water droplets to roll off the surface. Specifically, we will modify COTS M8 paper with ultrathin superhydrophobic and oleophilic material coatings that provide a self-cleaning and waterproof surface while retaining the M8 paper"s ability to detect CW agents. The results of phase I work will lead to a technology downselect for the best coating package for scale-up activities. Phase II work will focus on integrating the optimized M8 paper with a self-reporting system to reduce and/or eliminate visual inspection of the M8 detection strips.