A new study published in the journal PNAS reveals that a thin layer of graphene in textiles can protect against mosquito bites, replacing the need for chemical repellents. Mosquitoes not only cause discomfort but can also transmit dangerous diseases such as malaria and the West Nile virus. Currently, chemical products are used to protect against these insects, either applied directly to the skin or clothing. However, scientists at Brown University have developed a new mosquito repellent made of graphene, whose ultra-thin lattice of carbon atoms is flexible and extremely stable. Robert Hurt, co-author of the study, explains that “mosquitoes are important disease vectors, and therefore there is a great interest in non-chemical defense strategies.”
The idea of using graphene as a mosquito repellent came to the scientists by chance when they were developing graphene-containing textiles to protect against toxic chemicals. To test whether the new material with the thin layer of graphene could also protect against mosquitoes, the researchers conducted a study with 100 yellow fever mosquitoes (Aedes aegypti) and a group of volunteers in the laboratory. The participants were given a sleeve covering their forearm and hand, with some receiving the graphene protection, some a regular cloth, and some no protection at all. The results showed that the multi-layered graphene oxide (GO) protection in a mantle of gauze was effective in preventing mosquito bites, as none of the participants were bitten. The other two groups were bitten almost equally. Surprisingly, the mosquitoes did not even land on the graphene oxide protection, indicating that the insects did not perceive their target due to the graphene film.
However, the protective effect of graphene is significantly reduced when wet, as the required puncture resistance of the graphene oxide is no longer present. The scientists plan to develop a reduced graphene oxide that is breathable and can protect against mosquito bites in both wet and dry conditions. If successful, the graphene film could be integrated into clothing to protect people from dangerous mosquito bites without the need for harmful chemical repellents.
