Reduced-Graphene Oxide Semi-Permanent Hair Dye: Durability and Toxicity

Overview

Because many conventional hair dyes contain supposed carcinogens, toxicants, and skin irritants, a reduced-graphene oxide (r-GO) hair dye, was explored as an alternative to conventional dyes. This dye has even been found to decrease static electricity and conduct heat. It was hypothesized that r-GO would exhibit insignificant environmental toxicity and be significantly more durable than conventional hair dye. Graphene oxide and r-GO were produced by the methods cited in literature. To examine the toxicity of r-GO, a 48 hour r-GO acute aquatic toxicity assay was conducted using 150 Daphnia magna. The r-GO concentrations in the Daphnia magna acute toxicity assay were found to include significantly more fatalities than the control solutions. This fails to support the hypothesis that r-GO would exhibit insignificant aquatic toxicity, though further studies are needed because the r-GO solutions were significantly more acidic than the control. To examine the durability of r-GO, UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to measure the wavelengths and absorptions of the r-GO hair dye on 80 human hair samples after successive washes. While the 5.00 wt% r-GO dye was found to be the most effective r-GO dye (using ANOVA; 𝜶 = 0.05), the control dye was significantly more durable than any r-GO dye, which failed to support the hypothesis. For future studies, the use of mass spectroscopy to control purity and a wider range of concentrations is suggested. Potential implications of this dye include helping people to regulate their body temperature in extreme conditions, creating technology interfacing with the body, and introducing a more sustainable semi-permanent hair dye as opposed to current commercial options.

Competition history

• AJAS 2020 Category not listed

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