Graphene‐Based Technologies for Tackling COVID‐19 and Future Pandemics

Abstract

The COVID‐19 pandemic highlighted the need for rapid tools and technologies to combat highly infectious viruses. The excellent electrical, mechanical and other functional properties of graphene and graphene‐like 2D materials (2DM) can be utilized to develop novel and innovative devices to tackle COVID‐19 and future pandemics. Here, the authors outline how graphene and other 2DM‐based technologies can be used for the detection, protection, and continuous monitoring of infectious diseases including COVID‐19. The authors highlight the potential of 2DM‐based biosensors in rapid testing and tracing of viruses to enable isolation of infected patients, and stop the spread of viruses. The possibilities of graphene‐based wearable devices are discussed for continuous monitoring of COVID‐19 symptoms. The authors also provide an overview of the personal protective equipment, and potential filtration mechanisms to separate, destroy or degrade highly infectious viruses, and the potential of graphene and other 2DM to increase their efficiency, and enhance functional and mechanical properties. Graphene and other 2DM could not only play a vital role for tackling the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic but also provide technology platforms and tools for the protection, detection and monitoring of future viral diseases.

Advances in the Rapid Diagnostic of Viral Respiratory Tract Infections

“…Recently, biosensors have gained significant interest due to their ability to provide rapid, portable, sensitive, miniaturised, and inexpensive alternative diagnostic platforms. Typically, a biosensor is made of three parts: a "bioreceptor" unit (DNA, enzyme, antibody) combined with ion conductive materials able to recognize the analyte, a physio-chemical signal transducer (optical, electrochemical or piezoelectric) and a reader device (Afroj et al, 2021). Biosensors can be designed to detect viral antigens, antibodies produced against a virus or the virus genome.…”

Sustainable materials and COVID-19 detection biosensor: A brief review

“…For graphene-based sensing systems, several ways of electrochemical detection of viruses based on, for example, DNA hybridization or antigen-antibody interactions are possible, similar to the idea previously outlined for paper-based material [ 36 ]. Graphene-Based Biosensors for COVID-19 detection is an interesting innovation [ 37 ]. There are many ongoing researches on applying graphene for developing new biosensor for COVID-19 detection [ 37 ].…”

“…Graphene-Based Biosensors for COVID-19 detection is an interesting innovation [ 37 ]. There are many ongoing researches on applying graphene for developing new biosensor for COVID-19 detection [ 37 ]. The new graphene - based field-effect transistor-based biosensor and gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-decorated graphene field-effect transistor (G-FET) sensor are good examples [ [38] , [39] , [40] ]].…”

Discourse on COVID-19 Mass Testing vs. Rapid Testing Processing

“…Thus, we urge to consider what has been discussed beyond just the scaling up testing capacity ( 27 ) and toward genuine rapid testing processes and/or practices. In this regard, the use of more advanced technologies cannot be disregarded, meaning that we have not yet explored other effective alternatives ( 28 – 30 ). Thus, mass testing could only cover testing a larger population.…”