Hot off the press, this is easily one of the most novel applications of graphene yet!
The mosquito is the world’s most important vector for transmission of infectious diseases, and chemical agents now used for bite prevention can have environmental or human health side effects. This work explores a nonchemical method for mosquito bite prevention based on graphene, the atomically thin sheet of carbon atoms, as a potential barrier material. We show that multilayer graphene films in the dry state completely inhibit biting by preventing mosquitos from sensing skin- or sweat-associated chemicals used to locate blood meals. In some cases, the graphene films also act as mechanical barriers to the penetration of the mosquito fascicle, its feeding apparatus. The results can guide development of graphene protective technologies on skin or within smart fabrics.
https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2019/08/20/1906612116
