Counter Agent

Nerve agents are poisons that block signals through the nervous system to the rest of the body, often leading to permanent damage or death. Their use as weapons has declined since World War II, but unfortunately protection is still required, and this newly-created chemical structure may hold the key. A metal-organic framework (MOF) made from a lattice of organic threads holds tiny lumps, or nodes, of zirconium – creating round 'pores' that capture molecules of nerve agents like VX. The pores also have room for water collected from the atmosphere, an essential ingredient in hydrolysis reactions which break down the poison particles. Weaving MOFs into materials used to make protective suits or masks will hopefully pit science against science to protect human lives from these horrible manmade chemicals.

Written by John Ankers

John Ankers

Writer

A former researcher in systems biology, John is now an online biology tutor and professional coach supporting the wellbeing of scientists and NHS professionals. He's writing, too, of course.

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• Image from work by Zhijie Chen and colleagues
• Department of Chemistry and International Institute for Nanotechnology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
• Image copyright held by the Journal of the American Chemical Society
• Research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, December 2019