Polyphosphazine-based polymer materials
Methods of removing contaminant matter from porous materials include applying a polymer material to a contaminated surface, irradiating the contaminated surface to cause redistribution of contaminant matter, and removing at least a portion of the polymer material from the surface. Systems for decontaminating a contaminated structure comprising porous material include a radiation device configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a surface of a structure, and at least one spray device configured to apply a capture material onto the surface of the structure. Polymer materials that can be used in such methods and systems include polyphosphazine-based polymer materials having polyphosphazine backbone segments and side chain groups that include selected functional groups. The selected functional groups may include iminos, oximes, carboxylates, sulfonates, β-diketones, phosphine sulfides, phosphates, phosphites, phosphonates, phosphinates, phosphine oxides, monothio phosphinic acids, and dithio phosphinic acids.
1. A polyphosphazine-based polymer material comprising a plurality of polyphosphazine backbones having a chemical structure represented as
where N is nitrogen, P is phosphorous, n is an integer between about 500 and about 15,000, and A is a chemical structure comprising at least one functional group having a chemical structure represented by at least one of
wherein R 1 comprises a phosphorous atom of a polyphosphazine backbone or a plurality of atoms providing a covalently bonded link to a phosphorous atom of a polyphosphazine backbone, and wherein R 2 comprises additional chemical structure.
2. The polyphospazine-based polymer material of claim 1 , wherein n is an integer between about 6,000 and about 10,000.
3. The polyphospazine-based polymer material of claim 1 , wherein a film of the polyphosphazine-based polymer material having a thickness of less than about one centimeter is substantially transparent to at least one wavelength of radiation in a range extending from about 200 nanometers to about 25 centimeters.
4. The polyphosphazine-based polymer material of claim 1 , wherein the polyphosphazine-based polymer material is configured to exhibit an average pull index with respect to a material to which it is applied in a range extending from about 40 cm −1 to about 200 cm −1 .
5. The polyphosphazine-based polymer material of claim 4 , wherein the polyphosphazine-based polymer material is configured to exhibit an average pull index with respect to a material to which it is applied in a range extending from about 60 cm −1 to about 100 cm −1 .
6. The polyphosphazine-based polymer of claim 1 , wherein the polyphosphazine-based polymer material exhibits a maximum tensile strength in a range extending from about 1 MPa to about 60 MPa.
7. The polyphosphazine-based polymer material of claim 1 , wherein R 2 comprises an alkyl group.
8. The polyphosphazine-based polymer material of claim 1 , wherein R 2 comprises a phosphorous atom of a polyphosphazine backbone or a plurality of atoms providing a covalently bonded link to a phosphorous atom of a polyphosphazine backbone.
9. The polyphosphazine-based polymer material of claim 1 , wherein the polyphosphazine-based polymer material comprises a copolymer material.