Advances in research on novel graphene nano-antibacterial materials

Recently, the ACS Nano Magazine of the American Chemical Society reported on the research work on the new type of graphene nano-antibacterial materials by the Institute of Physics Biology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Graphene-Based Antibacterial Paper. Wenbing Hu, Cheng Peng, Weijie Luo, Min. LV, Xiaoming Li, Di Li, Qing Huang and Chunhai Fan, ACS Nano, 2010, 4 (7), PP 4317–4323). After the work was published, it was reported and reprinted by many media such as Nanowerk, Qmed and Sciencedaily. Eurekalert, sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, was published. The website reports that this may be an important environmental and clinical application of graphene.

The development and use of antimicrobial materials to inhibit and kill harmful bacteria is an important aspect of improving human health. Traditional antibacterial materials, such as antibiotics and quaternary ammonium salts, not only cause microbial resistance, but also cause serious environmental pollution. The development of nanotechnology provides a new way of thinking to solve this problem.

Graphene is a two-dimensional crystal in which a single layer of carbon atoms are closely arranged. Its excellent electron transport and high mechanical strength make graphene an up-to-date application for nanoelectronic devices, solar cells, and biosensors. Wu Wenbing, a Ph.D. candidate in the physical biology laboratory of the Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, under the guidance of researchers Fan Chunhai and Huang Qing, explored the antibacterial properties of graphene oxide and found that the graphene oxide nanosuspension was incubated with E. coli for 2 hours. Its inhibition rate exceeds 90%. Further experimental results show that the antibacterial property of graphene oxide stems from its damage to the cell membrane of E. coli. More importantly, graphene oxide is not only a new type of excellent antibacterial material, but also has little cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. In addition, graphene oxide can be prepared as a paper-like macroscopic graphene film by suction filtration, and the growth of E. coli can also be effectively suppressed.

Since the preparation of graphene oxide is simple and inexpensive, this novel carbon nanomaterial is expected to be widely used in the environmental and clinical fields.