Superhydrophobic Cellulose Nanofiber Aerogels for Efficient Hemostasis with Minimal Blood Loss

Reducing unnecessary blood loss in hemostasis is a major challenge for traditional hemostatic materials due to uncontrolled blood absorption. Tuning the hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of hemostatic materials provides a road to reduce blood loss. Here, we developed a superhydrophobic aerogel that enabled remarkably reduced blood loss. The aerogel was fabricated with polydopamine-coated and fluoroalkyl chain-modified bacterial cellulose via a directional freeze-drying method. Primarily, the hydrophobic feature prevented blood from uncontrolled absorption by the material and overflowing laterally. Additionally, the aerogel had a dense network of channels that allowed it to absorb water from blood due to the capillary effect, and fluoroalkyl chains trapped the blood cells entering the channels to form a compact barrier via hydrophobic interaction at the bottom of the aerogel, causing quick fibrin generation and blood coagulation. The animal experiments reveal that the aerogel reduced the hemostatic time by 68% and blood loss by 87 wt % compared with QuikClot combat gauze. The study demonstrates the superiority of superhydrophobic aerogels for hemostasis and provides new insights into the development of hemostatic materials.