Environmentally Benign Biosynthesis of Hierarchical MOF/Bacterial Cellulose Composite Sponge for Nerve Agent Protection

Abstract The fabrication of MOF polymer composite materials enables the practical applications of MOF‐based technology, in particular for protective suits and masks. However, traditional production methods typically require organic solvent for processing which leads to environmental pollution, low‐loading efficiency, poor accessibility, and loss of functionality due to poor solvent resistance properties. For the first time, we have developed a microbial synthesis strategy to prepare a MOF/bacterial cellulose nanofiber composite sponge. The prepared sponge exhibited a hierarchically porous structure, high MOF loading (up to ≈90 %), good solvent resistance, and high catalytic activity for the liquid‐ and solid‐state hydrolysis of nerve agent simulants. Moreover, the MOF/ bacterial cellulose composite sponge reported here showed a nearly 8‐fold enhancement in the protection against an ultra‐toxic nerve agent (GD) in permeability studies as compared to a commercialized adsorptive carbon cloth. The results shown here present an essential step toward the practical application of MOF‐based protective gear against nerve agents.