Barnacle-Inspired Nanocomposite Paste with Enhanced Toughness and Crack Blunting for Rapid Hemostasis

There are limited fluid hemostatic agents capable of reliably controlling bleeding in wet and high-pressure environments. This study presented a barnacle-derived adhesion hemostatic paste (BAH-paste) exhibiting rapid adhesion to biological tissues and operating independently of the coagulation pathway. Upon contacting with the wound, the lipidic phase would repel blood from the interface while the adhesive phase filled with calcium–aluminum layered double hydroxide (Ca–Al LDH) nanosheets absorb blood to form a tough gel that can adhere to wet tissues, seal blood vessels, and achieve hemostasis. Benefiting from the hindering effect of dislocation movement and crack propagation of Ca–Al LDH nanosheets, the BAH-paste could withstand high burst pressures, and exhibit robust adhesion characterized by interfacial toughness ranging from 150 to 200 J·m −2 , alongside shear and tensile strengths of 40–60 kPa, respectively. The BAH-paste offered considerable fluidity, lower swelling, and efficient hemostatic properties. It demonstrated superior performance over commercial hemostatic agents in facilitating in vivo liver hemostasis in SD rats and New Zealand rabbits. Furthermore, this adhesive hemostatic paste can serve as a drug delivery platform for wound repair, significantly enhancing antimicrobial efficacy. Thus, the adhesive hemostatic paste developed here is anticipated to be effective for controlling deep and irregular bleeding.