Sustainable and scalable polyphenolic bioadhesives for hemostasis and surface functionalization

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

• Mussel-inspired adhesive polyphenolic materials show great potential for medical and industrial uses.
• Current synthetic methods are often chemically intensive, energy-demanding, and not scalable or sustainable.
• Existing carbodiimide coupling methods involve costly reagents and inefficient purification processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid, simple, and sustainable synthetic approach for adhesive polyphenolic conjugates.
• To create chitosan-1,2,4-benzenetriol (CHI-B) conjugates using renewable resources and avoiding coupling agents.
• To evaluate the functionalization capabilities and biomedical efficacy of the synthesized CHI-B conjugates.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized chitosan-1,2,4-benzenetriol (CHI-B) conjugates via spontaneous conjugation of fructose-derived biomass, 1,2,4-benzenetriol (BTO), and chitosan.
• Utilized a coupling agent-free method without heating, achieving reaction completion within 30 minutes.
• Scaled the synthesis to tens of liters in a laboratory setting.
• Tested CHI-B's ability to functionalize challenging substrates like PTFE and glass.
• Evaluated CHI-B's hemostatic efficacy in a mouse liver bleeding model.

Main Results:

• Achieved rapid synthesis of CHI-B conjugates within 30 minutes at a large laboratory scale.
• Demonstrated effective functionalization of challenging substrates (PTFE, glass) into superhydrophilic surfaces.
• Showcased potent hemostatic efficacy in a preclinical mouse model.
• Developed a versatile adhesive material from entirely renewable resources.

Conclusions:

• The developed CHI-B conjugate offers a sustainable, efficient, and scalable alternative to conventional adhesive synthesis.
• CHI-B shows significant potential for diverse biomedical applications, particularly in hemostasis.
• This approach paves the way for greener industrial applications of mussel-inspired adhesives.