Lipid Peptide Gel Sheet for Biocompatible Adhesion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sheet-shaped hydrogels for cosmetic and medical applications lack biocompatibility, safety, strength, flexibility, and effective adhesive properties, often requiring harmful cross-linking agents and complex production processes.
Innovation Solution
A gel sheet composed of a low molecular weight lipid peptide gelator and a polymeric compound, with a lactic acid salt as a solvent, which eliminates the need for alcohol and simplifies the production process while enhancing biocompatibility and mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If natural polysaccharide gels are used, then biocompatibility is improved, but strength and flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines natural polysaccharide gels with synthetic polymer gels to create a composite hydrogel system. This allows the gel to inherit the biocompatibility of natural polysaccharides while gaining the enhanced strength and flexibility from synthetic polymer cross-linking structures, resolving the contradiction between biocompatibility and mechanical properties.
2Strength
If cross-linking agents are added to improve strength, then gel strength is improved, but safety deteriorates due to remaining monomers and harmful substances
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates harmful cross-linking agents from the gel formulation. Instead of using traditional cross-linking agents that leave harmful residues, the invention employs physical cross-linking methods and biocompatible alternatives that do not compromise safety while still achieving the desired gel strength and structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical and physical parameters of gel formation by using alternative cross-linking mechanisms such as hydrogen bonding, metal coordination, and physical entanglement. These parameter changes enable gel strength to be achieved without introducing harmful substances, thereby improving safety while maintaining mechanical properties.
3Strength
If complex production methods are used to achieve high strength and safety, then gel strength and safety are improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the gel production process into simple, independent steps: mixing gel base materials, adding water or other solvents, and allowing spontaneous gelation. This segmentation eliminates complex multi-step procedures while maintaining gel strength and safety, thereby improving ease of manufacture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs self-gelling systems where the gel forms automatically upon mixing components and adding water, without requiring external cross-linking agents or complex processing. This self-service approach simplifies the production process while achieving the desired gel properties, significantly improving ease of manufacture.
4Strength
If alcohol is used as a solvent to improve gel formation, then gel strength is improved, but safety deteriorates due to skin irritation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful effect of alcohol-induced skin irritation into a benefit by replacing alcohol with water or biocompatible solvents. This substitution maintains gel strength and formation capabilities while eliminating skin irritation, thereby improving safety without compromising gel performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The gel sheet achieves high biocompatibility, safety, and excellent adhesive properties, with improved strength, flexibility, and a pleasant skin feel, suitable for wound dressings and cosmetic applications without the use of harmful cross-linking agents or complex production methods.
Implementation Method 1
the mechanism elucidation of self-organization of the low molecular weight compound in water and molecular design are difficult. Thus, such a hydrogelator has been actively studied.
Implementation Method 2
A sheet-shaped gel that is obtained by forming a gel, especially a hydrogel, into a sheet shape
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a gel sheet that has high biocompatibility and safety, can contain both a hydrophilic medicinal agent and a hydrophobic medicinal agent, and provides an excellent feel in use during the application onto human skin or others. A gel sheet comprising: a lipid peptide gelator including a low molecular weight lipid peptide having a molecular weight of 1,000 or less or a pharmaceutically usable salt of the lipid peptide; and a polymeric compound, wherein the polymeric compound is included in an amount of more than 1% (w/w) and less than 50% (w/w) with respect to the total mass of the gel sheet.