A self-decontaminating system for decontaminating a surface on demand is disclosed herein. The system contains an electrochemical cell and at least one portion of the surface forms a functional component of the cell. The system may include an electrocatalytic fabric which is flexible and resistant to tears and breaks, such that the fabric can be rolled up or pleated in order to provide a high surface area structure that can serve as an active filter. The fabric can function as a stand-alone system or a protective coating. Also disclosed are methods for fabricating, decontaminating, and regenerating the self-decontaminating fabric.
