A Powder Spray That Can Stop Life-Threatening Bleeding in One Second

🩺 Article Summary

A research team at KAIST has developed a groundbreaking medical technology based on a powder that is sprayed directly onto wounds to stop severe bleeding in just one second. This powder, called AGCL powder, relies on a natural ionic reaction with blood components, forming a multidimensional gel layer capable of absorbing large amounts of blood, which makes it highly effective in complex and deep injuries. In addition to its immediate performance and scientifically proven safety and effectiveness, the powder can retain its properties for many years, paving the way for its use in wars, disasters, and civilian medicine.

🧬 Background to the Medical Challenge: Controlling Severe Bleeding

Excessive bleeding is considered the leading cause of death in combat injuries, as rapid bleeding control represents a major challenge in field medical care. Applying an effective and fast method in harsh conditions such as battlefields or natural disasters is a crucial step in saving lives.

Over the past years, several bleeding-control techniques have emerged, including hemostatic patches, but they face difficulties in dealing with deep, irregular wounds and environments with humidity and changing temperatures.

🧪 The AGCL Powder Innovation and Its Properties

Researchers at KAIST, including an officer with the rank of Major in the army, developed an advanced powder made of natural and biocompatible materials such as Alginate and Gellan Gum, in addition to Chitosan. These compounds work together to create an ionic reaction with the positive ions (calcium) present in blood, triggering clotting and hydrogel formation within one second.

This gel provides an effective barrier that prevents blood loss, with a high absorption capacity reaching more than 725% of the powder’s weight, enabling it to handle high-pressure bleeding. In addition, the material shows adhesive strength exceeding 40kPa, making it capable of withstanding direct manual pressure to stop bleeding.

• Designed for use in deep, wide, and irregular wounds.
• Transforms immediately into a gel layer that tightly covers the wound.
• Effective in harsh field conditions such as humidity and varying temperatures.

🧠 Biosafety and Healing Effects

Laboratory tests showed that the hemolysis rate when using the powder is less than 3%, while cell viability remains above 99%. The powder also demonstrated disinfecting ability with an effectiveness rate of up to 99.9%, indicating its medical safety.

In addition, animal studies revealed encouraging results in promoting rapid healing, enhancing blood vessel regeneration, and collagen growth at wound sites. In liver injury experiments during surgery, the powder reduced blood loss and bleeding-stop time compared with available commercial products.

Liver functions returned to normal within two weeks after the operation, with no signs of toxin accumulation or negative effects on the body.

🌱 Durability and Broad Future Applications

The powder’s formulation is characterized by stability and compatibility with environmental factors, as it maintains its effectiveness for up to two years under room temperature and high humidity. This feature is essential for use in remote areas, disasters, and military zones that are characterized by difficult conditions.

Although the project was initially carried out to meet combat needs, the researchers see the possibility of expanding the use of this innovation to include:

• First aid in natural disasters.
• Medicine in developing countries with limited capabilities.
• Internal surgical procedures that require rapid bleeding control.

This project is considered a successful model for transforming defense technology into a medical unit serving civilian use.

🧪 Scientific Evaluation and Recognition

The research results were published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials, which has an impact factor of 19.0, reflecting the importance of the innovation at both the chemical and engineering levels. The team also received the 2025 KAIST Institute President’s Award and the National Defense Minister Award at the 2024 KAIST-KNDU National Defense Conference.

Major Kyusun Park, one of the participating researchers, noted that the study’s most important goals are saving lives and reducing human losses in wars, with hope of bringing the technology into expanded medical use in the future.

🧠 Conclusion

The AGCL powder represents a revolution in the field of bleeding control, offering a fast, safe, and effective solution for complex and deep injury cases that require an immediate response. The powder’s chemical and physical properties help form a strong gel barrier that mimics the body’s natural blood-clotting processes, contributing to improved survival chances for the injured, whether in wars or civilian medical emergencies.

With high resistance to environmental factors and an immediate response, this innovation carries great promise not only in military fields, but also in emergency healthcare, surgical medicine, and communities with limited resources.

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