In hygiene and medical applications, fibrous materials are often required to have absorbency, toughness, flexibility, softness and sometimes biostability or biodegradability. In addition to conventional medical textiles for gauze, masks, etc., some advanced functional fiber materials have been developed, such as nanofibers, smart sensing fibers, etc. Alfa Chemistry offers customers fiber solutions for hygienic and medical applications, according to techno-economic requirements or considerations.
Requirements of Medical Fibers
Textile materials used in hygiene and medical fields must have anti-microbial, non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, non-allergenic properties, and also require that they will not undergo qualitative change or deformation due to the human body or the external environment during use, and will not produce unknown toxins. In addition, some materials also need to meet certain specific performance requirements, such as moisture absorption and breathability, shape structure, purity, bulkiness, warmth retention, comfort, extension, etc.
Specific Applications
- Medical Textiles
Fiber materials are the basis for the manufacture of hygiene and medical textiles. Different fibers can be used to make hygienic and medical textiles for different purposes. For example, cotton fiber, viscose fiber, polyester fiber, etc. can be used to make masks, wet wipes, etc. Polyethylene fiber can be used to make surgical drapes and surgical covers. Polypropylene fibers can be used to make protective clothing. - Regenerative Medicine and Wound Healing
Nanofibers can be used as a substrate for bandages or artificial blood vessels, as a barrier to prevent adhesion to wounds after surgery, and as a medium for controlling drug delivery systems. Electrospun nanofibers and fiber webs used in regenerative medicine can choose natural polymers with biological adaptability and biological functions, such as collagen, alginate, silk protein, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, starch, etc. They can be applied to the regeneration of various cells such as blood vessels, bones, nerves, tendons, and ligaments. - Surgical Sutures
Medical sutures include ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, etc. Absorbable or self-degradable sutures mainly include polylactic acid fibers and the like. - Drug Release Carriers
The use of fiber materials as controlled drug release carriers can achieve the efficient delivery of drugs, reduce the number and amount of drug supply, and improve the utilization rate. For example, embedding the anticancer drugs paclitaxel and doxorubicin in PLA nanofibers can improve the therapeutic effect. Highly loaded hydrophilic small-molecule drugs in electrospun fibers and strategies for sustained drug release have also been reported. [1]
- Smart Sensing Fibers
Biosensors based on fiber materials are mainly divided into three categories, including imaging sensors, physical property sensors, and biochemical sensors. For example, optical fibers are used in gastroscopes and blood oxygen sensors; carbon nanotubes are used in endoscopes and instruments for detecting DNA; hollow nanofibers are used in medical probes; and plastic fiber optic bandages are used in respiration rate sensors.
Related Fiber Series
The following are some fiber series you may be interested in, click to quickly browse related products and services.
Reference
- Shih-Feng Chou, et al. Journal of Controlled Release, 2015, 220, 584-591.
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