Organophosphorous-based nerve agents remain one of the most toxic and accessible chemical warfare agents known to man. Herein, we report the development of novel, oxime-functionalized poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP-Ox) materials as inexpensive, scalable polymeric substrates capable of rapid decontamination of nerve agents, as demonstrated using one nerve agent simulant, dimethyl-4-nitrophenyl phosphate (DMNP). The incorporated oximes adjacent to positively charged pyridinium salts remain deprotonated at neutral to slightly basic pH, providing super-nucleophilic materials to deactivate nerve agents and their simulants rapidly and irreversibly. These materials were electrospun to form nanofabrics, providing increased surface area and enhanced reactivity for degradation of DMNP. Nanofibers obtained from P4VP functionalized at 20 mol % pendants with ortho-pyridinium oximes moieties (P4VP-OOx20%) provided the fastest reaction kinetics. This substrate provided complete decomposition of DMNP within 1.5 h and calculated t 1/2 = 14.4 min. The P4VP-Ox substrates were also found to be recyclable, allowing for quantitative DMNP degradation within 8 h over the course of four reaction cycles. Furthermore, to mimic real-life scenarios, we attempted solid-state DMNP degradation via applying small drops of DMNP directly on the nanofabric substrates and extracting with water for 31P NMR analysis. Overall, the P4VP-OOx20% substrate was found to retain its reactivity in the solid state, with the as-prepared nanofabric displaying >95% DMNP degradation after 6 h. When performed in different environments (i.e., 100% humidity, hexanes-rich atmosphere), the reactivity diminished slightly but still displayed >95% degradation after 24 h of reaction, establishing these materials for applications as reactive, economical, and easily scalable Chem-Bio protective materials.
There are many factors that can negatively impact student learning, including stress which impacts memory and overall well-being. A potential tool for educators to reduce stress and improve well-being is to use contemplative practices in the classroom, such as mindfulness and gratitude. In this Activity, we integrated voluntary daily mindfulness and gratitude practices into nine general and physical chemistry courses. Student perception data were collected through anonymous and voluntary course evaluations. Qualitative analysis of student responses identified themes of stress reduction, well-being enhancement, and attention span improvement inside and outside of the classroom. Quantatitive data analysis revealed that students perceived a learning benefit, enjoyed the practices, and recommend their contiued use in the classroom. This preliminary data suggests that students perceived the mindfulness and gratitude practices as being beneficial to their personal and academic lives. Future studies with control groups are required to quantify the impact on learning by incorporating mindfulness and gratitude practices in chemistry classrooms.
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