Silicone-based chemical filter and silicone-based chemical bath for removing sulfur contaminants

A method of making a silicone-based chemical filter for removing sulfur contaminants from air, comprising the step of:

• reacting at least one olefin and at least one polyhydrosiloxane to produce a cross-linked silicone membrane or coating via platinum catalyzed hydrosilation, wherein the step of reacting at least one olefin and at least one polyhydrosiloxane to produce a cross-linked silicone membrane or coating is performed in the presence of at least one porogen so that the cross-linked silicone membrane or coating is cross-linked around the at least one porogen, wherein the step of reacting at least one olefin and at least one polyhydrosiloxane to produce a cross-linked silicone membrane or coating includes the steps of:
• applying a polymer solution to a substrate in an at least partially uncured state, the polymer solution consisting essentially of the at least one olefin, the at least one polyhydrosiloxane, the at least one porogen and at least one platinum catalyst, and wherein the at least one olefin is selected from the group consisting of vinyl functional polysiloxane copolymer, allyl functional polysiloxane copolymer, vinyl functional polysilsesquioxane, allyl functional polysilsesquioxane, and combinations thereof;
• curing the polymer solution applied to the substrate to produce the cross-linked silicone membrane or coating;
• removing the at least one porogen from the cross-linked silicone membrane or coating to create pores in the cross-linked silicone membrane or coating, wherein the step of removing the at least one porogen from the cross-linked silicone membrane or coating includes the step of placing the cross-linked silicone membrane or coating in an acidified alcoholic solution to remove the at least one porogen, wherein the pores created in the cross-linked silicone membrane or coating have an average pore size selected within a range from approximately 100 Å to approximately 500 Å to facilitate selective removal of sulfur contaminants from air.