Destructive Adsorbents for Chemical Agents and Hazardous Chemicals

Destructive Absorption Technology (DAT) is a non-polluting treatment process that has been demonstrated to be theoretically capable of treating hazardous substances, including chemical warfare agents, chlorocarbons, and contaminated soil and debris while allowing for reclamation of valuable byproducts as fuels or feedstocks. NanTek through its affiliate company, Total Waste Management (TWM), is proposing to utilize such technologies in its development of both fixed and mobile treatment units. Mobile units featuring DAT is envisioned to be most applicable for treating DoD wastes. The commercialization of DAT is dependent upon means for economic synthesis and use of ultrafine (nanoscale) metal oxides as destructive adsorbents. Excellent results have been obtained in the laboratory with specifically prepared (by aerogel/hypercritical drying) metal oxides. Company affiliated researchers have discovered new nano-particles which have demonstrated marked improvement in the efficacy of the process. In spite of these discoveries, for DAT to be used commercially, easier and less expensive methods for synthesis of the destructive adsorbents are necessary. Four new approaches to synthesis will be studied: (1) precipitation of metal hydroxides under controlled pH; (2) impregnation followed by NaOH treatment, drying and thermal conditioning, (3) coprecipitation of hydroxides followed by washing, drying, and thermal conditioning; (4) impregnation of nanoscale MgO with iron salts followed by treatment and conditioning. Surface areas will be monitored, and destructive capacity determined for various simulants. Phase II (when funded) will include reactor design and scale-up.