Graphene could travel through the body when lipids stabilized read more at here www.spinonews.com/index.php/item/1060-graphene-could-travel-through-the-body-when-lipids-stabilized

Graphene is extremely sensitive to its surroundings, making it an ideal source material for biosensors. However, graphene must be mounted on a stable substrate so its structural integrity is maintained.

For applications outside the human body, graphene is typically mounted on hard inorganic materials. But, to transport graphene through the human body, scientists need a substrate derived from organic materials.

Recently, researchers at Leiden University succeeded in placing graphene on top of a stable fatty lipid monolayer.

Lipids are fat molecules. They form a protective double layer around cell membranes. Researchers believe if they can insert a layer of graphene between two layers of lipid molecules, the 2D material will be ready for a journey into the human body.

Leiden chemist Gregory Schneider said, we made a single layer of lipids in the lab and transferred graphene on top. It is a first step towards imitating the cell membrane.

In their research scientists discovered that a layer of lipids provides good support to graphene. They used infrared measurements to prove the stability of the lipid layer and also found that the lipids improve the electrical conduction of graphene.

Improvements of electrical conduction make it possible to measure the electrical signals of graphene in the body. These signals tell something about the environment of graphene, like the acidity or the presence of certain proteins.