Finally, An 'Ouchless' Adhesive Bandage!
Language
Reading Level
Listen to Article
While getting cut or wounded can be painful, sometimes what's even more so, is ripping off the adhesive bandage placed atop to protect and heal. Now, thanks to the brilliant work of a graduate student from Penn State University, the 'ouch' may be a thing of the past.
Lingyan Kong, who worked in collaboration with the University's Professor of Food Science has created a bandage from edible starch that over time, degrades into glucose. As it does that, the human body safely absorbs it, leaving behind no trace of either the cut or the bandage.
In order to create the soluble adhesive, Mr. Kong began by looking for a suitable material that could be used to weave into fibers. Though tree-derived cellulose is the most popular, he was looking for something that is cheap and readily available and decided to experiment with starch, extracted from vegetables like potatoes, corn and tapioca.
The starch he used was not of course the kind that is available at the local grocery story, but a polymer made from amylose and amylopectin. As you probably know when starch is mixed with water it becomes a Non-Newtonian fluid - One that can act like a liquid or solid, depending on how it is handled.
Since that mixture is impossible to spin into a fiber, the researcher decided to experiment by adding a solvent - One that would help dissolve the starch completely without altering its molecular structure.
Then, using an electro spinning device with a high voltage charge, he stretched the starch solution into fibers and wove it into a bandage. Mr. Kong believes that the material can be used for many everyday items, ranging from napkins to toilet paper. The researchers are now in the process of applying for a patent for their revolutionary biodegradable fiber after which, they hope to find a manufacturer to help them bring the 'ouchless' bandage to market. We for one, cannot wait!
Resources: Dailymail.co.uk,popsci.com, phsy.org
Cite Article
Learn Keywords in this Article
325 Comments
- Djabout 6 years6 years still has not hit the market
- ddddddddabout 7 yearsit has been 4 years and it has not hit the market yet.
- Monkey12345 almost 10 yearsNeed one!!!!!
- Animalloveralmost 10 yearsNeed one noooooowwww I do not like bandaids
- TheGamerGirl23almost 10 yearsi need it asap now!!!!!
- bibliophilealmost 10 yearsThat is cool! I would want to buy these bandages...
- mlpfan8almost 10 yearsNice...............I need!
- Mysterymanalmost 10 yearsWow that's awesome!!!!!!!!! I for one can't wait!!!! I hate taking off band-aids!!!!!!! :D
- RockStar45 about 10 yearsThis would be cool to use. I hope they put it in drugstores soooon...
- slammthehammerabout 10 yearsoh and we need them at the drug stores asap!