Nanographene oxide interacting with bacteria, TEM

False-coloured transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of nanographene oxide sheets (grey/brown; background) interacting with a cluster of rod shaped bacteria (green/brown; foreground). Graphene is a 2-dimensional sheet of carbon one atom thick, and has been described as a wonder material as it is one of the thinnest, strongest materials so far discovered and conducts electricity more efficiently than copper. Nanographene oxide represents nano-sized graphene sheets in which carbon atoms are linked to oxygen functional groups. It can be prepared by subjecting graphite to a series of oxidative reactions. Length of each individual bacterium is approximately 2 micrometres. Nanographene is a nanocarrier platform. It has a high surface area that allows attachment of multiple drugs, targeting and imaging molecules, and can be used to target more than one cell type e.g. a mammalian cancer cell or a bacterial cell. It is being researched for its ability to kill bacteria e.g. by encapsulating anti-microbial drugs or by absorbing near infra-red light and converting it to heat (photo-thermal therapy).