| Feb 21, 2012 |
Graphene nanoplatelets pose potential health risk
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(Nanowerk News) Ultra-thin layers of carbon called graphene - heralded for its superconductive properties - could be harmful to the lungs when produced in a particular form.
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Nanoplatelet use
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The flexibility of these disc-shaped particles - known as nanoplatelets - mean they can be readily incorporated into plastic and rubber.
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This gives these materials new and useful properties.
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The nanoplatelets can also be used to enhance the electronic properties of touch screens.
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Nanoplatelets are less than one carbon atom thick and invisible to the naked eye.
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Aerodynamic action
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Scientists studying nanoplatelets found they behaved like tiny Frisbees, and stay airborne.
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Their aerodynamic properties mean that when inhaled the nanoplatelets can find their way deeper into the lungs compared with other forms of graphene.
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The particles could accumulate in the lungs and cause damage.
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Impact on manufacturing industry
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This could potentially affect the health of people involved in manufacturing and handling graphene-based nanoplatelets.
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The study, which looked at the aerodynamic and toxic properties of graphene-based nanoplatelets, was published in the journal ACS Nano ("Graphene-Based Nanoplatelets: A New Risk to the Respiratory System as a Consequence of Their Unusual Aerodynamic Properties").
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