#7 Graphene can control hair frizz, and dye hair, say researchers
In Illinois, researchers at Northwestern have used graphene to dye hair and control frizz. Conventional hair dyes are alkaline solutions that open hair cuticles so color-changing compounds can penetrate the hair. The graphene dyes, however, create a coating on hair’s surface. The dye is produced using biopolymer chitosan, ascorbic acid, and graphene oxide.
The formulation is water-based, free of toxic chemicals common in conventional hair dyes, and available in a range of dark colors. Because graphene’s thinness creates a tight bind—as does chitosan to hair protein keratin—the dye is also resistant to fading for 30 washes. The researchers have filed a provisional patent application. The dye does not require high-quality graphene, which is expensive to produce, the researchers add.