Chitosan-based organic yarn – a research cooperation of TU Dresden and HMC+

On April, 25 2012 the “Forschungskuratorium Textil e.V”. newsletter reported about the results of the development cooperation of Heppe Medical Chitosan GmbH (HMC+) and the Institute of textile machinery and high performance material technology (ITM) at the Technical University of Dresden. The joint development is very promising regarding the solution of various pharmaceutical problems especially in the field of regenerative medicine.

For the first time ever, the researchers managed to produce absolutely pure and biocompatible yarns complety made of the natural material chitosan. These yarns are degradable in the body.

Production

First, the thight chitosan yarns are being produced by means of the wet spinning process and are finished by the weaving or knitting process. In this whole process, no chemicals are used. So the result is a biological pure chitosan fabric.

Applications

The absorbable fabric might be especially interesting for regenerative medicine, e.g. as surgical suture and filling material, blood stopper, medical spacer or matrices for stem cells.

International Comparison

So far, there is no other fabric made of chitosan yarn that is comparable in quality and (tensile) strength. Even though there is said to be a chitosan-based suture material in Asia, it cannot compete with the new development from Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.

Project Funding

By BMWi (Bundeswirtschaftsministerium - Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology) in the course of ZIM (Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand - Central Innovation programme for medium-sized businesses)

Further Links

innovativ.in UG
Oertel, H.-W.: Bio-Garn aus Krabbenschalen

Forschungskuratorium Textil e.V.