Bioionic Liquid Conjugation as Universal Approach To Engineer Hemostatic Bioadhesives

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Effective adhesion to wet and dynamic biological surfaces is crucial for biomedical applications like tissue repair.
• Developing advanced tissue adhesives faces challenges due to the need for mechanical similarity to native tissue, strong wet adhesion, hemostasis, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and ease of use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer multifunctional adhesives with enhanced adhesion, hemostatic capabilities, biodegradability, and biocompatibility.
• To utilize a bioinspired design incorporating bioionic liquids (BILs) conjugated to polymers for improved adhesive performance.

Main Methods:

• Conjugation of choline-based BILs, derived from cell membrane precursors, to natural (gelatin) and synthetic (polyethylene glycol) polymers.
• Room temperature mixing of polymers and BILs, followed by visible light photopolymerization to create tunable hydrogel adhesives.
• Evaluation of adhesive strength, hemostatic properties, and biocompatibility in vitro and in vivo using animal models.

Main Results:

• Conjugating choline molecules significantly enhanced the adhesive strength and hemostatic properties of both natural and synthetic polymers.
• The resulting hydrogel adhesives exhibited tunable mechanical and physical properties.
• In vivo studies showed a nearly 50% reduction in blood volume loss in rat models with tail cuts and liver lacerations compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• The novel bioinspired adhesive platform, utilizing BIL-conjugated polymers, offers a promising solution for challenging biomedical adhesion requirements.
• This technology holds potential for diverse applications including advanced tissue repair, wound dressings, and flexible electronic attachments.
• The developed hydrogel adhesives demonstrate superior performance in adhesion and hemostasis, paving the way for next-generation biomaterials.