Efficient antibacterial dextran-montmorillonite composite sponge for rapid hemostasis with wound healing

Montmorillonite (MMT) powder, as the most effective hemostats in natural silicates, is restricted for commercial application due to its embolic effect. Until now, it's still a challenge to control the leakage of MMT and avoid its side-effects. Herein, poly aldehyde dextran (PDA)/MMT composite sponge (PM) with commendable tissue adhesion, antibacterial, and wound healing performances is developed for massive hemorrhage control. Based on the high degree of perfect synergism of PDA and MMT, the PM sponge can rapidly seal the wound, and promote cells aggregation and adhesion, whole coagulation system activation, resulting in shortened clotting time from 480 s to <10 s in vitro. Therefore, PM sponge with low exothermic effects achieves hemostasis in limited time, decreasing nearly 95% blood loss in the femoral artery and vein incision in rat models. Furthermore, with the intensive tissue adhesion (~47 kPa), PM sponge not only exhibits antibacterial activity to Escherichia coli, but also succeeds in accelerating wound healing. Importantly, the low cytotoxic sponge verifies to be a little hemolytic and skin irritant hemostat. Thus, the biocompatible PM sponge may provide a new strategy for reintroduction of MMT in hemostatic fields, and a safe-effective avenue for clays to control bleeding.