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

School Name

Heathwood Hall Episcopal School

Grade Level

10th Grade

Presentation Topic

Chemistry

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Oral Presentation Award

1st Place

Written Paper Award

1st Place

Abstract

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; � = 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 regulate their body temperature in extreme conditions and creating technology interfacing with the body.

Location

Founders Hall 111 A

Start Date

3-30-2019 8:45 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 30th, 8:45 AM

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

Founders Hall 111 A

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; � = 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 regulate their body temperature in extreme conditions and creating technology interfacing with the body.