Graphene is a super material and is a carbon material that is expected to be used in various fields. A research team at Brown University in the United States discovered that graphene has a mosquito shading effect. Clothing with graphene as a lining can be a physical barrier to mosquito needles, while carbon materials can attract mosquitoes and block chemical elements.
The research team revealed that even on the cloth using graphene, mosquitoes did not rise. The research team assumed that graphene blocked the mosquito’s mouth, but when they experimented, they began to think that mosquitoes had a chemical barrier to avoid it. The action appears to be prevented.
As a result of comparing the subject’s arm with a graphene oxide film and a rough cotton gauze with it wrapped around it, it was found that no mosquito bites were observed when graphene was used. However, he said he found out that graphene oxide is not effective in wet conditions and that mosquitoes can penetrate graphene oxide films.
The research team also reduced the graphene oxide and conducted an experiment with a graphene material close to its original state. In this case, I found that mosquitoes don’t stab people even when they’re wet. You can expect mosquito shading effects by using this on clothing. However, the graphene material has a problem that it is not breathable, so it may be difficult to use in summer camps where mosquito bites are easy.
Therefore, the research team is currently working on a way to prevent mosquitoes from approaching when graphene is wet. The Brown University research team plans to provide the next step with the benefits of being completely mosquito bites while maintaining breathability. Graphene oxide is expected to find a way to prevent mosquito bites even when wet. Related information can be found here .