Excessive blood loss is the leading cause of death from combat injuries, making rapid bleeding control one of the biggest challenges in battlefield medicine. Researchers at KAIST, including an Army Major, have developed a next generation spray-on powder that can stop severe bleeding in about one second. The innovation could significantly improve survival for wounded soldiers while also offering broad potential for civilian emergency care.
The research team, led by Professor Steve Park of KAIST's Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor Sangyong Jon of the Department of Biological Sciences, created a powder type hemostatic agent that quickly transforms into a strong hydrogel barrier when sprayed onto a wound.
Because an Army Major directly participated in the project, the technology was designed with real battlefield conditions in mind. The powder hardens almost instantly, remains stable during storage, and can be deployed quickly even in demanding environments such as combat zones and disaster areas.
Powder Designed for Deep and Complex Wounds
Conventional patch type hemostatic products are widely used in medicine, but their flat design makes them difficult to apply to deep, irregular, or complex wounds. They can also be sensitive to temperature and humidity, creating challenges for storage and field use.
