BIOCOMPATIBLE ADHESIVES

THIS PROPOSAL OUTLINES A RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TO TAILORMAKE EMULSION ACRYLIC COPOLYMERS WHICH ARE ODORLESS, NON-TOXIC, AND PRESSURE SENSITIVE. THE WATER-INSOLUBLE, BIOCOMPATIBLE ADHESIVES WILL CONTAIN THE MINIMUM CONCENTRATION OF HYDROPHILIC UNITS TO PERMIT STRONG BONDING TO WET HUMAN SKIN AND STILL RETAIN THE REQUIRED DEGREE OF WATER RESISTANCE. OPTIMUM RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES WILL BE ACHIEVED BY SELECTING THE SYSTEM THAT HAS A LOW MODULUS OF ELASTICITY T LOW ELONGATION. THIS WILL BE INDICATED FROM MEASUREMENTS OF THE PEEL ADHESION AS A FUNCTION OF PEEL RATE. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS A BIOLOGICALLY COMPATIBLE ADHESIVE THAT WILL SUCCESSFULLY MAINTAIN THE ADHERENCE OF A DERMAL DRESSING TO MOIST SKIN ON ACTIVE SOLDIERS WORKING IN HOT HUMID ENVIRONMENTS, WITHOUT PRODUCING ANY ADVERSE REACTIONS. PHASE II WILL INVOLVE A CLINICAL EVALUATION OF THE ADHESIVES, APPLIED TO A EMI-OCCLUSIVE MATERIAL. THE OBJECTIVE WILL BE TO DEMONSTRATE DURABILITY, EFFICACY, BIOCOMPATIBILITY AND THE ABSENCE OF ADVERSE SKIN REACTIONS.