Synthetic pressure sensitive adhesives for biomedical applications

Pressure sensitive adhesives are components of everyday products found in homes, offices, and hospitals. Serving the general purpose of fissure repair and object fixation, pressure sensitive adhesives indiscrim-inately bind surfaces, as long as contact pressure is administered at application. With that being said, the chemical and material properties of the adhesive formulation define the strength of a pressure sen-sitive adhesive to a particular surface. Given our increased understanding of the viscoelastic material requirements as well as the intermolecular interactions at the binding interface required for functional adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives are now being explored for greater use. New polymer formu-lations impart functionality and degradability for both internal and external applications. This review highlights the structure-property relationships between polymer architecture and pressure sensitive ad-hesion, specifically for medicine. We discuss the rational, molecular-level design of synthetic polymers for durable, removable, and biocompatible adhesion to wet surfaces like tissue. Finally, we examine preva-lent challenges in biomedical wound closure and the new, innovative strategies being employed to ad-dress them. We conclude by summarizing the progress of current research, identifying additional clinical opportunities, and discussing future prospects.(c) 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Pressure sensitive adhesives are widely used in everyday products and have the potential for greater use in medicine. The strength of adhesion depends on the chemical and material properties of the adhesive formulation and its interaction with the surface. This review focuses on the structure-property relationships of polymer architecture and pressure sensitive adhesion, specifically in the context of durable, removable, and biocompatible adhesion to wet surfaces like tissue. Challenges in biomedical wound closure are also discussed, along with innovative strategies to address them.