Improved respirator carbons using combinatorial and high throughput methods

This proposal is focused at fundamental and applied studies of activated carbons which are impregnated with selected chemicals and then used to remove toxic gases from air. Such materials are used in respirators worn by emergency responders, soldiers, industrial workers and home handy persons, among others. The collaborating company, 3M Canada Company, manufactures impregnated activated carbon (IAC) and complete respirators from these IAC at its Brockville, Ontario location. The Dahn laboratory at Dalhousie University has been successfully collaborating with 3M Canada - Brockville since 2001 in two successive three-year CRD grants.The present application focuses on fundamental and applied studies of IAC. First, studies to determine the chemical reactions and their extent between impregnants and toxic gases as a function of impregnant loading, activated carbon type and impregnation method will continue. Second, the development of a "multigas carbon", which can remove most conceivable toxicants from air will continue.Combinatorial Materials Science (CMS) methods will be established to speed the discovery process in the first two projects. Hundreds of IACs will be prepared in parallel using a solution/suspension handling robot. The phases present will be determined with a combinatorial screening X-ray diffractometer. The ability of the arrays of IACs to remove toxicants will also be determined in parallel using gravimetric methods. To our knowledge, this will be the first time CMS methods will be applied to studies of impregnated activated carbons for respirator use.