Graphene — the extremely strong and thin wonder material — may have another new use this time as edible RFID tags.
Researchers out of Rice University are etching graphene onto food such as bread, potatoes and coconuts — as well as some non-food products including cardboard, cloth and wood using a technique called laser-induced graphene. The process works by using a laser to heat the surface of a material to create a flaky, foamy form of graphene.
The etchings are conductive and researchers say it could have a wide-range of potential uses such as a sensor that detects E coli or other microorganism contaminants, or an RFID tag printed right on the food or box that could provide information such as how long the item has been stored, city of origin and the path it took to get to your table.