Severe blood loss remains the primary cause of death from combat injuries. To address this challenge, a research team at KAIST that included an active duty Army Major set out to develop a faster and more reliable way to stop bleeding.

Their work led to a next-generation powder-type hemostatic agent that can halt bleeding within one second when sprayed directly onto a wound, offering a potential breakthrough for saving lives on the battlefield.

A spray-on solution in seconds
On December 29th, KAIST announced that a joint team led by Professor Steve Park of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor Sangyong Jon of the Department of Biological Sciences had created a powder based hemostatic agent that rapidly forms a strong hydrogel barrier. When applied to an injured area, the material transforms within about one second, sealing the wound almost immediately.

The researchers designed the technology with real combat conditions in mind, and the direct involvement of an Army Major helped ensure its practical readiness. The agent hardens instantly even in harsh environments such as battlefields and disaster zones, and its stability during storage allows it to be deployed quickly for emergency treatment.