Around 30,000 to 60,000 Americans bleed to death every year due to the lack of first responders and emergency care, even before the injured person can be taken to a hospital. The situations are even worse in war zones, where neither time nor environment supports those in need. This is where a team of KAIST researchers, including an Army Major, has developed a state-of-the-art spray-on powder that can stop severe bleeding in about one second by forming a strong hydrogel barrier over a wound.
The research team was led by Professor Steve Park of KAIST’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor Sangyong Jon of the Department of Biological Sciences. The technology was designed with real battlefield conditions in mind, drawing on insights gathered from the Army Major who participated in the project. The powder hardens almost instantly, remains stable, and is easy to deploy even in combat zones and disaster areas. Most importantly, the powder works on deep and irregular wounds that traditional hemostatic agents fail to seal quickly enough.
Gel for the Win
Conventional hemostatic products come as patches, whose flat design makes them difficult to apply to deep and irregular wounds. Storing and on-field use of these products are difficult as the materials are sensitive to temperature and humidity. Using a powder form already addresses these limitations, but the KAIST product’s mechanism of action changes how we deal with these emergencies. Unlike traditional hemostatic agents that absorb blood to form a physical barrier over the wound, the spray-on powder uses the natural ionic reactions that occur in the blood.
The material combines several naturally derived biochemical ingredients and has been named ‘AGCL powder’. These include alginate and gellan gum, which react with positively charged calcium ions in the blood to form an instant gel that seals the wound in about a second. The other component, chitosan, binds to negatively charged blood components, such as red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets, to stop further bleeding.
The powder’s chemical structure allows it to absorb more than 7 times its own weight in blood (725%), thereby blocking blood flow even during heavy, high-pressure bleeding, such as arterial bleeding. According to the researchers, the material achieved an adhesive strength exceeding 40 kPa, sufficient to withstand firm hand pressure. The material outperformed currently available materials in blocking bleeding from wounds.
Speed with Safety
AGCL powder is composed entirely of naturally derived materials, and laboratory tests demonstrate its biocompatibility. The hemolysis rate of the powder is below 3%, and it has an antibacterial effect of 99.9%, indicating that the product doesn’t cause adverse effects when it comes into contact with blood. The material led to negligible loss of healthy cells, with over 99% cell viability. Animal studies demonstrated rapid healing and improved regeneration of vessels and collagen. In surgical liver injury experiments, the powder proved superior to conventional products in both the speed and efficacy of blood loss reduction. Liver function returned to normal within two weeks after surgery, with no evidence of systemic toxicity.
Another standout aspect of the powder is its durability, which maintained its performance for two years at room temperature and high humidity. The product’s stability ensures it remains ready for immediate use in harsh scenarios such as combat or disaster-struck areas.
A Spin-off Case
The technology’s versatility in both catastrophic and clinical settings makes it a one-of-a-kind invention. Ph.D candidate Kyusoon Park (Army Major), who participated in the research, stated, “The core of modern warfare is minimizing the loss of human life,” and added, “I started the research with a sense of mission to save even one more soldier.” He continued, “I hope this technology will be used as a life-saving technology in both national defense and private medical fields.”
The research received recognition for both its defense value and its innovative approach. It is being considered a spin-off case—transferring technology intended for national defense to the private domain, such as GPS. Treatment and healthcare in medically underdeveloped countries can receive a massive boost if the product hits the market.
Copyright @smorescience. All rights reserved. Do not copy, cite, publish, or distribute this content without permission.
