A study conducted by Brown University has demonstrated that graphene oxide can be used as a protective barrier layer for personal protective equipment.
It is well known that graphene oxide laminates, allow unimpeded permeation of water while blocking other molecules.
The present study takes this feature of graphene oxide to the next level, by developing water-beathable barrier layers which allow outward perspiration while protecting the wearer from toxicants or other elements.
In order to study this in detail, the scientists devised a method to the measure permeation rates of trichloroethylene and benzener, in the presence of counter-current water flow, which simulates perspiration.
Their findings show that graphene oxide films have high water breathability and show excellent barrier performance.
Read more: “Breathable Vapor Toxicant Barriers Based on Multilayer Graphene Oxide ” Steinberg et al. ACS Nano 2017