Excessive blood loss is the leading cause of death from combat wounds, making rapid control of hemorrhage one of the greatest challenges in battlefield medicine. KAIST researchers, including an Army major, have developed a next-generation aerosol powder that can stop serious bleeding in about a second. The innovation could significantly improve the survivability of wounded soldiers while offering broad potential for civilian emergency care.
The research team, led by Professor Steve Park from KAIST’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor Sangyong Jon from the Department of Biological Sciences, created a powdered hemostatic agent that quickly transforms into a strong hydrogel barrier when sprayed on a wound.
Because an Army major was directly involved in the project, the technology was designed with actual battlefield conditions in mind. The powder hardens almost instantly, remains stable during storage, and can be rapidly deployed even in demanding environments such as combat zones and disaster areas.
Powder designed for deep and complex wounds
Conventional patch-type hemostatic products are widely used in medicine, but their flat design makes them difficult to apply to deep, irregular or complex wounds. They can also be sensitive to temperature and humidity, creating challenges for storage and use in the field.
To overcome those limitations, researchers developed a powder that can adapt to wounds of many different shapes and sizes. A single product can be used on deep, large, uneven lesions, making it more versatile than traditional alternatives.
Most existing hemostatic powders work primarily by absorbing blood and creating a physical barrier. Instead, the KAIST team designed their material to take advantage of natural ionic reactions that occur in blood.
How AGCL powder works
The new material, called ‘AGCL powder’, combines several biocompatible ingredients of natural origin. These include alginate and gellan gum (which react with calcium for ultra-rapid gelation and physical sealing) along with chitosan (which binds to blood components to improve chemical and biological hemostasis).
When the powder comes into contact with blood, it reacts with cations such as calcium and transforms into a gel in about a second, quickly sealing the wound.
Its three-dimensional internal structure also allows the powder to absorb more than seven times its own weight in blood (725%). This allows you to quickly block blood flow even during heavy, high-pressure bleeding. According to the researchers, the material outperformed commercially available hemostatic agents, achieving an adhesive strength greater than “40 kPa,” which is strong enough to withstand firm hand pressure.
Strong safety and healing results
AGCL powder is made entirely from materials of natural origin. Laboratory tests showed a hemolysis rate of less than 3%, a cell viability of more than 99%, and an antibacterial effect of 99.9%, indicating that it is safe when it comes into contact with blood.
Animal studies also demonstrated rapid wound healing, along with improved blood vessel and collagen regeneration.
In surgical liver injury experiments, the powder reduced both blood loss and the time needed to stop bleeding compared to commercial hemostatic products. Liver function returned to normal two weeks after surgery and the researchers found no evidence of systemic toxicity.
Another important advantage is durability. The powder maintained its performance for two years under ambient temperature and high humidity conditions, allowing it to remain ready for immediate use in hostile military or disaster environments.
Potential beyond the battlefield
Although the technology was originally developed for national defense, researchers believe it could have a wide range of applications in emergency medicine. Possible uses include disaster response, healthcare in developing countries, and treatment in medically underserved regions.
The project is considered a representative derivative case in which defense research has been adapted for civilian use. In addition to emergency treatment on the battlefield, the technology may also be useful in controlling bleeding during internal surgery. (A derivative case means expanding or transferring national defense science and technology for use in the private sector. Examples include computers, GPS, microwave ovens, etc.)
The research received recognition for both its scientific innovation and defense value, earning it the 2025 KAIST Q-Day President’s Award as well as the Minister of National Defense Award at the 2024 KAIST-KNDU National Defense Academic Conference.
Doctoral candidate Kyusoon Park (army major), who participated in the research, said, “The core of modern warfare is to minimize the loss of human life,” adding, “I began the research with a sense of mission to save even one more soldier.” He continued, “I hope this technology will be used as life-saving technology in both national defense and the private medical field.”
The study was led by KAIST PhD student Kyusoon Park and PhD candidate Youngju Son, under the direction of Professor Steve Park and Professor Sangyong Jon. It was published online on October 28, 2025 in the international journal. Advanced functional materials (IF 19.0), which specializes in chemistry and materials engineering.
The research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF).