Russian scientists have developed a material for stopping bleeding based on silver nanoparticles and two types of biopolymer fibers, TASS reported with reference to the press service of the Russian Chemical Technical University (RCTU). The science article was published in an International Journal of Polymeric Materials and Polymeric Biomaterials.
“The range of materials used to treat wounds is very large. The main differences between our material lie in its really high sorption capacity and biocompatible production method without chemical crosslinking agents. It consists of natural alginate and chitosan, as well as microbiological silver nanoparticles,” said Maria Gordienko, one of the authors of the study, associate professor of the Russian Chemical Technology University.
Chitosan is the basis of crustacean shells, as well as the membranes of fungal cells, scientists specify. Alginate, in turn, is contained in the cell walls of algae and is used to create hydrogels – sponges that absorb large volumes of liquid. Chitosan, forming bonds with the alginate, prevents the sponge from dissolving and allows the gel to maintain its stability.
Chitosan, like silver nanoparticles, also has bactericidal properties. The first prototypes of such “sponges” have already successfully contained the attacks of various microbes for a long time. In the near future, experiments on animals are planned and the creation of a new version of the biomaterial, which will allow separating blood into fractions.
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