Wonder Paper Shows Antibacterial Promise

Coming soon: shoes that can defeat even the smelliest feet!

A team of Chinese researchers recently discovered that sheets made from graphene—carbon "paper" an atom thick—have antibacterial properties that promise a vast array of applications.

The researchers created built the sheets using graphene oxide to explore new applications for the material, which was first developed in 2004. They tried growing both bacteria and human cells on the graphene, discovering that the materials would surpress bacterial growth while human cells were more or less unaffected.

Potential applications for this new discovery include improve food packaging, bandages with natural antibacterial property, or even textiles that won't allow bacteria to breed. Among the factors assisting the possible adoption of graphene sheets are its low cost of production and flexibility.

Graphene is expected to be used in a myriad of clinical and environmental applications, such as shoe lining that will minimize smelly feet.