Article and associated method

1. An article, comprising:

a membrane having pores and that is air permeable, wherein the membrane comprises a fluorinated polyolefin; and

a precursor dispersed throughout the pores, wherein the precursor comprises a metal alkoxide or a metal carbamate, wherein the precursor is essentially free of solvent, and

the precursor is responsive to a stimulus to form a catalytically active nanoparticle; wherein the article is a chembio agent protective apparel.

2. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated polyolefin comprises one or both of polyvinylidene fluoride or polytetrafluoroethylene.

3. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the fluorinated polyolefin comprises expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

4. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises one or more of polyolefin, polyamide, polyester, polysulfone, polyether, polyacrylate, polystyrene, polyurethane, polyphenylene sulfone, polyphenylene oxide, or cellulosic polymer.

5. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the pores have an average pore diameter in a range of from about 10 nanometers to about 10 micrometers.

6. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the stimulus comprises exposure to heat.

7. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the stimulus comprises exposure to water.

8. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle comprises titanium oxide.

9. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle comprises silver.

10. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle comprises an oxide of aluminum, silver, copper, or magnesium.

11. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle comprises a plurality of particles having an average particle size in a range of from about 5 nanometers to about 500 nanometers.

12. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle comprises a plurality of particles having a shape of a sphere, a cube, a crystal, a rod, a tube, a flake, a fiber, a plate, or a whisker, or the plurality includes a combination of two or more of the foregoing shapes.

13. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle is present in an amount in a range of from about 0.1 weight percent to about 20 weight percent of the combined weight of the membrane and the nanoparticle.

14. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle is capable of inactivating a chembio agent when the article is contacted to a chembio agent.

15. The article as defined in claim 14 , wherein the chembio agent is a chemical agent comprising one or both of an incapacitating agent or a lachrymatory agent.

16. The article as defined in claim 14 , wherein the chembio agent is a chemical agent comprising a vesicant.

17. The article as defined in claim 14 , wherein the chembio agent is a chemical agent comprising one or both of a pulmonary agent or a blood agent.

18. The article as defined in claim 14 , wherein the chembio agent is a chemical agent comprising a nerve agent.

19. The article as defined in claim 18 , wherein the nerve agent comprises one or more of tabun, sarin, soman, cyclosarin, or GV.

20. The article as defined in claim 14 , wherein the chembio agent is a chemical agent comprising a toxin.

21. The article as defined in claim 14 , wherein the chembio agent is a biological agent comprising a pathogen.

22. The article as defined in claim 21 , wherein the pathogen is bacteria, protozoa, fungus, spore, or parasite.

23. The article as defined in claim 21 , wherein the pathogen is virus or prion.

24. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the membrane has an average thickness in a range of from about 0.0005 inches to about 0.005 inches.

25. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the membrane has a unit average weight in a range of from about 0.05 oz/yd 2 to about 3.0 oz/yd 2 .

26. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the membrane has air permeability that is greater than about 0.01 cfm/ft 2 at 0.5 inches H 2 O.

27. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the membrane has permeability to a chembio agent that is less than about 20 micrograms/24 hours.

28. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the membrane is supported on one or more fabric layer.

29. The article as defined in claim 28 , wherein the fabric is knit, woven, braided, tufted, or felted.

30. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the apparel comprises outerwear, glove, or footwear.

31. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the apparel comprises innerwear capable of being worn in fluid communication with skin.

32. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the apparel comprises one or more of a jacket, a pant, a glove, or a hood.

33. The article as defined in claim 1 , wherein the article is a decontamination suit.

34. An article, comprising:

a membrane having pores and that is air permeable, wherein the membrane comprises a fluorinated polyolefin;

a precursor dispersed throughout the pores, wherein the precursor comprises a metal alkoxide or a metal carbamate, wherein the precursor is essentially free of solvent; and

a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed throughout the pores, and the nanoparticles are catalytically active; wherein the nanoparticles comprise a decomposition product of the precursor;

wherein the article is a chembio agent protective apparel.