Polysaccharide Polyacrylate Hydrogel for Wound Care

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing hydrogels for wound treatment have properties that are disadvantageous, such as poor absorbency, viscosity issues, and the presence of preservatives or antimicrobial agents that can hinder wound healing, making them unsuitable for modern wound care, especially for dry and exuding wounds.

Innovation Solution

A hydrogel composed of gel-forming polysaccharides combined with an acrylic acid derivative, which provides absorbent and water-releasing properties, is sterilizable using radiation, and includes an electrolyte mixture to mimic wound serum, promoting wound healing without preservatives or antimicrobial agents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If gel-forming polysaccharides are used alone to form the hydrogel, then the hydrogel can be sterilized using radiation, but the resulting gel has insufficient viscosity and insufficient water absorption capacity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesterilization capabilityVSAvoidwater absorption capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines gel-forming polysaccharides with acrylic acid derivatives to create a composite hydrogel system. The polysaccharide component (e.g., hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose) provides radiation sterilization capability and basic gel structure, while the acrylic acid derivative component contributes water absorption capacity and viscosity. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating the strengths of both material types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adjusts the ratio of polysaccharide to acrylic acid derivative (specifically polyacrylate) to optimize both viscosity and water absorption capacity. By controlling the concentration and molecular weight parameters of each component, the hydrogel achieves sufficient viscosity while maintaining high water absorption capacity, even after radiation sterilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a gel is constructed solely from acrylic acid derivatives, then the gel can be sterilized by radiation, but the gel has insufficient modeling ability and poor water release ability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesterilization capabilityVSAvoidmodeling ability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines gel-forming polysaccharides with acrylic acid derivatives to create a composite hydrogel system. The polysaccharide component (e.g., hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose) provides radiation sterilization capability and basic gel structure, while the acrylic acid derivative component contributes water absorption capacity and viscosity. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating the strengths of both material types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adjusts the ratio of polysaccharide to acrylic acid derivative (specifically polyacrylate) to optimize both viscosity and water absorption capacity. By controlling the concentration and molecular weight parameters of each component, the hydrogel achieves sufficient viscosity while maintaining high water absorption capacity, even after radiation sterilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Duration of action of stationary object

If existing hydrogels contain preservatives or antimicrobial agents, then the hydrogel has extended shelf life, but the agents hinder wound healing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshelf lifeVSAvoidhindrance to wound healing
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes preservatives and antimicrobial agents from the hydrogel composition entirely. Instead, it relies on the inherent biocompatibility of the polysaccharide and polyacrylate components, which do not require chemical preservatives. The hydrogel achieves adequate stability without harmful additives, thus eliminating the contradiction between shelf life extension and wound healing promotion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of requiring preservatives into a benefit by selecting polysaccharide and polyacrylate components that are inherently stable and biocompatible. These materials naturally resist degradation and maintain stability without needing harmful chemical preservatives, thus turning what would be a necessity (preservatives) into an unnecessary feature while simultaneously promoting wound healing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

4Strength

If the hydrogel absorbs wound exudate, then the hydrogel maintains cohesion, but the viscosity may show significant reduction

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecohesionVSAvoidviscosity
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines gel-forming polysaccharides with acrylic acid derivatives to create a composite hydrogel system. The polysaccharide component (e.g., hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose) provides radiation sterilization capability and basic gel structure, while the acrylic acid derivative component contributes water absorption capacity and viscosity. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating the strengths of both material types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adjusts the ratio of polysaccharide to acrylic acid derivative (specifically polyacrylate) to optimize both viscosity and water absorption capacity. By controlling the concentration and molecular weight parameters of each component, the hydrogel achieves sufficient viscosity while maintaining high water absorption capacity, even after radiation sterilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 hydrogel offers a wound-healing-promoting climate, gentle debridement, and pain relief, maintaining cohesion when absorbing exudate, and is suitable for both dry and exuding wounds, supporting natural cell buildup and continuous healing.

Implementation Method 1

the hydrogel can also be used to provide a wound treatment agent that breaks up necrotic tissue present in a wound and ensures gentle debridement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

a cross-linked wound secretion-absorbing hydrogel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOsmosis: Osmosis

Implementation Method 3

depending on the type of wound, has both absorbent properties - for heavily exuding wounds - and water-releasing properties - for dry wounds

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDiffusion: Diffusion

Implementation Method 4

the at least two electrolytes can provide an electrolyte mixture similar to the wound serum

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Implementation Method 5

This hydrogel can also be used to provide a wound treatment agent that breaks up necrotic tissue present in a wound and ensures gentle debridement

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical action: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP1909858B1Hydrogel
Publication Date: 2018.09.12 PAUL HARTMANN AG
  • EP1909858B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The invention relates to a hydrogel as well as to the production thereof and to its use in modern wound treatment. The hydrogel comprises at least 50 % by weight of water, at least one gel-forming polysaccharide, selected from the group containing hydroxy cellulose, carboxy cellulose, alginate, chitin or starch, at least one acrylic acid derivative, such as polyacrylate and an electrolyte mixture, the electrolyte mixture having at least two different electrolytes, such as Ringer's solution or a mixture of salts of alkaline metals and earth-alkaline metals.