Good quality adsorbent fabrics were electrospun from slurries of zirconium hydroxide nanoparticles and polyvinyl butyral (PVB) in alcohols. The as-spun fabrics had very high porosity, about 80 vol%, and high zirconium hydroxide content, 50-95 wt%. The porosity and mechanical strength of the fabrics could be modified via compaction and/or exposure to alcohol vapor. SO2 sorption capacity of the fabrics was high at 1.6-1.9 mol/kg and was relatively independent of the sample pretreatment, unlike the capacity of the pristine nanoparticles, which decreased when the powder was stored in a low relative humidity atmosphere. The as-purchased zirconium hydroxide nanoparticles contained about 45 wt% of water, equivalent to the formula ZrO2 center dot 5.6H(2)O. In contrast, the electrospun composite fabrics contained only 25 wt% of mostly coordinated water, leading to the formula ZrO2 center dot 2.2H(2)O. The presence of PVB binder inhibited the rehydration/dehydration processes and stabilized the SO2 sorption capacity of the composite fibers. The electrospun fabrics could find applications as conformable, flexible filters in civilian and military applications.