No Need to Rip It Off Like a Bandage With This Wound Cover

Aug. 17, 2022 – A brand new adhesive bandage is being designed to stay twice as nicely to pores and skin – even furry components – however damage half as a lot to tug off. Scientists are tapping into the primary ingredient at school glue to make this doable.

The downside that researchers from Pennsylvania universities got down to remedy is methods to make a wound dressing that sticks quick and robust but can simply be eliminated with out damaging pores and skin or inflicting ache, particularly if the pores and skin space is gentle or furry.

Such a product can be particularly vital for kids with head wounds or after surgical procedure, however it might have a variety of purposes for different components of the physique and for adults as nicely.

Yet it has been troublesome to develop such a bandage. Most supplies utilized in dressings both stick onerous and quick however cannot simply be eliminated or pulled aside, or else they are often eliminated simply however aren’t sturdy sufficient to do the job of preserving a wound closed.

Reporting within the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers say they discovered their reply by tapping into the first ingredient at school glue, of all issues. They are mixing a polymer referred to as vinyl alcohol, a major ingredient within the glue, with boric acid, a typical and naturally occurring compound often utilized in antiseptics.

The boron atoms within the boric acid bond with the alcohol molecules within the polymer, creating a powerful adhesive that may maintain a wound collectively. But when the bandage is steeped in water for 30 seconds, the boron atoms detach from the alcohol molecules to bond as a substitute with water molecules. At this level, the bandage may be pulled away with none ache or yanking out of hair follicles.

The adhesives stick higher than most generally used pores and skin adhesives in scientific drugs, report the researchers. But within the paper, they didn’t point out whether or not such versatile bandages might additionally include superheroes or animated characters printed on them.