homehome Home chatchat Notifications


Researchers develop printable, wearable insect repellant

The new system can be 3D printed and worn as a ring or bracelet.

Mihai Andrei
December 1, 2022 @ 9:12 pm

share Share

Scientists have developed several reliable ways to keep insects away, but most of the time, these come in the form of a spray or lotion, which can have an unpleasant smell, and needs to be applied regularly. So a team of researchers from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) wanted a different solution: something you can wear.

This is what the ring looks like that could help repel insects. Image credits: Uni Halle / Fanfan Du.

The team worked with IR3535, an insect repellent developed by Merck. They chose this one because it’s been in use successfully for many years and because it’s gentle on the skin. The repellent is typically applied as a spray or lotion and protects against insects for several hours. But the MLU team wanted to deploy it in a different form and make it last longer.

So they developed a custom 3D printing technique that inserts the repellant into a biodegradable polymer that releases it gradually over time. They embedded the system into a ring.

“The basic idea is that the insect repellent continuously evaporates and forms a barrier for insects,” explains the lead author of the study, Fanfan Du, a doctoral candidate at the MLU.

The rate at which the repellent is released depends on several factors, both depending on the structure of the polymer (which can be tweaked) and by outside temperature. The team estimates that it would take around a week or a bit more for the entire repellant to be released.

“For all samples, regardless of the initial repellent concentration, the repellent-release rate increases with temperature, and at ambient temperature, the release-time constant is in the order of 10 days,” the study reads.

However, this is still an incipient study. While researchers have shown that it is possible to release the repellant this way, they haven’t really tested it to see how well it works in realistic conditions. They also emphasize that there are also several encapsulation tweaks that can be used to further improve the material, but efficacy tests are required to see how well this method repels insects compared to conventional methods.

Nevertheless, researchers are confident in their newly-created device and say it should work in a practical situation.

“The study successfully proved the applicability of the technology of extrusion-based 3D-printing for the preparation of polymer parts with a specific shape/design containing mosquito-repellent at a concentration which raises the expectation to be used as a repellent delivery-device.”

Journal Reference: Fanfan Du et al, 3D-printing of the polymer/insect-repellent system poly(l-lactic acid)/ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate (PLLA/IR3535), International Journal of Pharmaceutics (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122023

share Share

These Revolutionary Maps Are Revealing Earth's Geological Secrets

This work paves the way for more precise and comprehensive geological models

These Cockatoos Prepare Their Food by Dunking it Into Water

Just like some of us enjoy rusk dipped in coffee or tea, intelligent cockatoos delight in eating rusk dipped in water.

Two tiger cubs were released in Siberia. They reunited as mates after a trek of 120 miles

Reuniting as mates, they’ve not only adapted to the wild but sparked new hope for the survival of Amur tigers.

Haunting video from NASA and ESA shows Greenland losing 563 cubic miles of ice in under 30 seconds

We all know (hopefully) that warming temperatures is driving ice loss. But seeing it makes it all the more disturbing. Don’t get me wrong, the visualization produced by NASA and ESA is beautiful, but what it’s showing is simply heartbreaking. Between 2010 and 2023, Greenland lost 563 cubic miles (2,347 cubic kilometers) of ice, which […]

Why aren't there giant animals anymore?

Contrary to Cope's Rule, today's animals, including polar bears, are shrinking due to climate change and human impacts.

The Neuroscience Behind Vermeer's Girl and Its Hypnotic Power

There's a reason why viewers can't look away from Vermeer's masterpiece.

NASA spots Christmas "tree" and "wreath" in the cosmos

NASA has captured the holiday spirit in space with stunning images of NGC 602 and NGC 2264.

How Our Human Lineage Broke All the Rules of Vertebrate Evolution

New study challenges traditional views on human evolution with "bizarre" findings.

A giant volcano spanning 280 miles and taller than Mt. Everest was discovered on Mars

Noctis Mons marks a monumental volcanic discovery on Mars, reshaping our understanding of the Red Planet's geology.

The Future of Acne Scar Treatment: How Exosomes and Fractional CO2 Lasers are Changing the Game

Acne scars no longer have to be a permanent reminder—discover how cutting-edge treatments like exosomes and fractional CO2 lasers are transforming skin rejuvenation.