State College, Pa. — Scientists at Penn State University may have found a way to take the “ouch” out of bandage removal.
By
using starch spun into fine strands, the researchers created a process
by which bandages could degrade into glucose and be safely absorbed by
the body.
Penn State researchers used a solvent
to form the starch into a fluid, which can then be and spun into
fibers and combined to form paper-like mats, Medical News Today
reports.
On an industrial scale, companies may use this
technology to make bandages and medical dressings from these starch
fibers. Since starch degrades into glucose, a substance that the body
can absorb harmlessly, the bandages wouldn’t need to be removed, but
rather would be absorbed over time, researchers said.
Starch is a
polymer that doesn’t normally dissolve completely in water. The
investigators worked around this by using solvents and special
equipment to aid in dissolving starch while still retaining its
molecular structure.
Cellulose and petroleum-based polymers are
typically used as raw materials in making fibers, but rising costs and
environmental concerns are encouraging research into different
materials.
