Hazmat suit coating neutralizes nerve agents

Researchers at Northwestern University developed a chemical coating for fabrics based on zirconium and allomelanin that breaks down nerve agents. In lab tests, the concentration of the toxic byproduct methyl nitrophenyl dropped by 50% within 10 minutes.

• The coating adheres to any fabric like a dye and alters its chemical properties
• Zirconium destroys the agent while allomelanin's porous structure traps molecules
• Toxic methyl nitrophenyl concentration fell by 50% in 10 minutes
• More melanin and sunlight exposure reduced toxicity even further