The Emergence of Graphene as Anti-Microbial

Graphene is a one-atom carbon thick sheet; it is structured like a honeycomb crystal hexagon. It is the strongest and lightest material in the world. It is the best conductor for electricity and best thermal insulator. It has a wide application in various industries such as rechargeable batteries, construction, textile, polymer and the emerging one is healthcare. Owing to the 2-D structure, graphene gives higher surface area which increases it application in healthcare applications such as drug delivery, gene vector, and sensors. Besides this, graphene has revealed a potent capacity to be involved in diagnostics, tissues engineering and infection control domains. It may play a vital role in detection, treatment and prevention of numerous health issues. Moreover, due to graphene’s anti-microbial properties it is a leading candidate for anti-microbial coatings. It can be used in masks and air conditioner filters.

Microbial infections are a major concern of health-care associated infections (HAIs).  Most of the hospital surfaces and available implantable materials do not possesses antimicrobial properties. Thus, requires antibiotic therapy once the infection occurs. Graphene and its related materials exhibited a wide range of anti-microbial activities towards virus, fungi and bacteria. This is due to the direct physiochemical interaction between germs and microbes. Thus, makes it most effective than traditional surface disinfectants. The major application area for the use of graphene is the removal of microbes from air and near surroundings by using the technology as air filtration. This characteristics of graphene has seen in the COVID-19 outbreak. Graphene can also be used as a universal anti-microbial coating on any surface in public places, such as, hospitals, malls, etc.

In the current situation of pandemic, Nanomatrix Materials, has developed NM G–Tx, a patented Graphene-Silver Technology which is strongly anti-viral and anti-bacterial. The membrane developed by the technology is NM Graphene membrane. This membrane is used in the non-surgical face mask as one of the layers which not only stops the virus but destroys 99% microbes in seconds that come in contact with the membrane. When it was tested as per the ISO 18184 protocol, anti-viral testing against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, showed a 99% reduction and kill rate of 99% in nano-seconds. The applications of this membrane are infinite, it can also be used in air filtration as it also destroys airborne viruses present in the surroundings.