Flexible zeolite cotton fiber material: T-shirt can change the hemostasis life jacket

It was learned from Zhejiang University that in order to solve the problem of emergency life-saving and hemostasis, Prof. Fan Jie from the Department of Chemistry of Zhejiang University used in-situ micro-load technology to combine mesoporous single crystal chabazite onto the surface of cotton fiber to prepare a flexible zeolite cotton fiber composite. The hemostatic material has high hemostatic properties and reliable safety.

Recently, this research was published online by the internationally renowned journal Nature Communications. The first author of the thesis is Yu Lisha, a doctoral student in the Department of Chemistry of Zhejiang University. The author of the paper is Professor Fan Jie from the Department of Chemistry of Zhejiang University and Professor Zhu Yihan from the School of Chemical Engineering of Zhejiang University of Technology.

A large number of studies and applications have shown that zeolite-based inorganic hemostatic materials are most effective in the case of severe bleeding. The type A zeolite hemostatic agent used abroad has saved the lives of thousands of soldiers in the war, but the product will release a lot of heat when it is in contact with water or blood during use. The local temperature of the wound is above 90 °C, causing skin burns and effects. Wound healing is a problem that has plagued the country for many years.

Prof. Fan Jie modified and upgraded the composition and surface structure of zeolite to obtain a zeolite hemostatic agent with excellent hemostatic effect and mild exotherm (wound temperature less than 45 °C). The hemostatic agent obtained the registration certificate of class II medical device at the beginning of this year. And production license, will be available soon.

However, since the existing zeolite hemostatic agent is a hard inorganic powder material, it is easy to adhere to the wound, which is not conducive to wound debridement. Therefore, how to turn the hard inorganic powder hemostatic agent into a flexible, safe and convenient hemostatic material becomes A new challenge. Cotton fiber has good water absorption and low cost, and can be prepared into a hemostatic fabric suitable for different wound shapes. Therefore, cotton fiber is an ideal carrier for zeolite growth. In addition, the research team found that the introduction of mesopores in microporous zeolite increases the pore size of the zeolite, interrupts the microporous framework of the zeolite and reduces the diffusion length, which is beneficial to promote the faster absorption and diffusion of water molecules in the blood.

Following this design approach, after two years of exploration, Fan Jie team developed an in-situ micro-loading technique to grow mesoporous chabazite to the surface of cotton fibers and to make the cotton fibers and zeolites tightly bonded by chemical bonds. The material perfectly retains the physicochemical properties and stability of the zeolite, and at the same time, by interrupting the skeleton to produce mesopores, thereby greatly enhancing the adsorption of substances, and is more conducive to hemostasis. The appearance and feel of the hemostatic material are almost indistinguishable from ordinary fibers, have good flexibility, and the zeolite is very strong in combination with cotton fibers.

The combat gauze, known as the life-saving artifact, is an inorganic hemostatic material impregnated with kaolin. However, after the gauze is exposed to water or blood, the active ingredient kaolin is easy to fall off, and there is a great safety hazard. The “closely combined” zeolite fiber composite developed by Prof. Fan is not afraid of washing, and is not afraid of water rushing. Even the ultrasonic shock can not shake for half an hour.

Moreover, in the very challenging pig carotid death model test, the combat gauze still has blood flow for 10 minutes in the wound, and the zeolite fiber composite gauze has successfully stopped bleeding in the wound for 5 minutes, and there is no exothermic effect during use. . There is often a lack of readily available effective hemostatic materials in the event of an accident that causes major bleeding. Fan Jie believes that "the use of zeolite fiber as a hemostatic coat" is the safest way to rescue the body, enabling emergency hemostasis rescue anytime, anywhere.

According to Fan Jie, the emergency hemostasis life jacket is expected to come out in August this year. In addition, it can also manufacture a variety of products such as hemostatic towels and hemostatic gauze. It can be used as protection equipment for special sports such as outdoor sports, extreme sports, racing cars, etc. It can also be used as first aid equipment to play a role in accidents such as war, traffic, and earthquakes.