Clotting Blood into an Adhesive Gel by Hemostatic Powder Based on Cationic/Anionic Polysaccharides and Laponite

Abstract

Hemostatic powder is widely employed for emergency bleeding control due to its ability to conform to irregularly shaped wounds, ease of use, and stable storage. However, current powders exhibit limited tissue adhesion and insufficient support for thrombus formation, making them easily washed away by blood. In this study, a hybrid powder (QAL) was produced by mixing quaternized chitosan (QCS) powder, catechol-modified alginate (Cat-SA) powder, and laponite (Lap) powder. Upon addition of QAL, the blood quickly transformed to a robust and adhesive blood gel. The adhesion strength of the blood gel was up to 31.33 ± 1.56 kPa. When compared with Celox, QAL showed superior performance in promoting hemostasis. Additionally, QAL exhibited effectiveness in eliminating bacteria while also demonstrating outstanding biocompatibility with cells and blood. These favorable properties, including strong coagulation, adhesion to wet tissue, antibacterial activity, biosafety, ease of use, and stable storage, make QAL a promising emergency hemostatic agent.