Fast Recoverable Shape Memory Cryogels Engineered with Surfactant-Stabilized Bubbles and Vermiculite for Non-Compressible Hemostasis

Shape memory cryogels hold immense promise for non-compressible hemostasis due to their shape recovery after contacting with blood. However, there is still a lack of an easy way to accelerate the shape-recovery speed which is highly associated with its performance. Meanwhile, the incorporation of extra pro-coagulation mechanisms will further improve the hemostatic efficacy. Herein, surfactant-stabilized bubbles are used to improve the shape-recovery speed of cryogels (GHP) through the modulation of porosity and pore size based on the capillary action. Additionally, 2D nanosheet vermiculite (VMT) is fabricated and incorporated into the system to get VMT@GHP cryogels. Remarkably, VMT@GHP exhibits a fast shape recovery speed (1.3 ± 0.3 s in the blood) among reported hemostats and the ability to promote blood coagulation. Animal studies show that VMT@GHP significantly accelerates the hemostasis in both rat and pig models, even in heparinized situations. In summary, VMT@GHP represents a highly effective solution for non-compressible hemorrhage control, with promising prospects for clinical translation.