Antimicrobial activity of graphene-based nanomaterials

Antibiotic-resistant pathogens have become a serious problem in today's world. These infections may lead to assorted acute or and chronic diseases like sepsis, inflammation, and finally cancer. These days new antibiotics are rarely discovered against microbial pathogens, which is required to explore antimicrobial agents. In these circumstances, the nanomaterials are considered for antimicrobial use because they have long-lasting disinfectant effect of microorganism in a wide spectra. Graphene and graphene-based nanoparticles or nanomaterials are used for various purposes in various sectors like biodetection of pathogens, cancer therapy, drug delivery, gene delivery, etc. Graphene has a wide surface area, excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, and biocompatibility. The abovementioned special properties can play vital roles in killing microorganisms. In this chapter we outline the progress of development of the antimicrobial efficacy of graphene and graphene-based nanocomposite materials, and this outline gives a new understanding or insight for the development of nanoantibacterial or antimicrobial studies.