Self-indicating colorimetric response materials for removal and sensing of toxic chemicals and narcotics

A process for sensing a toxic chemical, comprising:

• contacting said toxic chemical, or byproduct thereof, with a sorbent, said sorbent comprising a porous mixed-metal oxide/hydroxide including a transition metal containing reactant configured to react with one or more toxic chemicals or byproducts thereof, wherein said porous mixed-metal oxide/hydroxide is selected from the group consisting of:
• silicon-aluminum oxide/hydroxide;
• iron-silicon-aluminum oxide/hydroxide;
• silicon-aluminum-titanium oxide/hydroxide, and silicon-aluminum-titanium-phosphorus oxide/hydroxide, wherein said silicon-aluminum oxide/hydroxide has a silicon to aluminum ratio of from 3 to 1,000, said silicon-aluminum-titanium oxide/hydroxide has a silicon to aluminum ratio of from 3 to 1,000 and a silicon to titanium ratio of 2 to 500, and said silicon-aluminum-titanium-phosphorus oxide/hydroxide has a silicon to aluminum ratio of from 3 to 1,000, a silicon to titanium ratio of 2 to 500, and a titanium to phosphorus ratio of 1 to 500;
• determining a difference between an exposed colorimetric state of said sorbent and a pre-exposure colorimetric state of said sorbent;
• and
• sensing said toxic chemical by said difference.