Agent VX has a very low vapor pressure and is quite reactive. For these reasons, it has a tendency to absorb or react irreversibly on most materials and, thus, the quantitative transport of VX through key components in CW-agent detectors is difficult. For this reason, it is common to detect VX as its more volatile "g-analog" by first passing the gas stream entering a detector through a silver- fluoride-impregnated filter. Although this filter is suitable in many applications, it is quite unstable and, thus, there is need for other conversion substrates. Various reagent/membrane combinations for use as a VX conversion filter are currently being developed under the marine corps chemical/biological defense technology program through the U .S. Army chemical research, development and engineering center (CRDEC). The purpose of the work described in our proposal is to develop a safe and cost-effect VX simulate for use in evaluating the stability of VX conversion filters.
