- Kudela, Damien;
- Smith, Stephanie A;
- May‐Masnou, Anna;
- Braun, Gary B;
- Pallaoro, Alessia;
- Nguyen, Chi K;
- Chuong, Tracy T;
- Nownes, Sara;
- Allen, Riley;
- Parker, Nicholas R;
- Rashidi, Hooman H;
- Morrissey, James H;
- Stucky, Galen D
We present a silica nanoparticle (SNP) functionalized with polyphosphate (polyP) that accelerates the natural clotting process of the body. SNPs initiate the contact pathway of the blood-clotting system; short-chain polyP accelerates the common pathway by the rapid formation of thrombin, which enhances the overall blood-clotting system, both by accelerating fibrin generation and by facilitating the regulatory anticoagulation mechanisms essential for hemostasis. Analysis of the clotting properties of bare SNPs, bare polyP, and polyP-functionalized SNPs in plasma demonstrated that the attachment of polyP to SNPs to form polyP-SNPs creates a substantially enhanced synergistic effect that lowers clotting time and increases thrombin production at low concentrations. PolyP-SNP even retains its clotting function at ambient temperature. The polyP-SNP system has the potential to significantly improve trauma-treatment protocols and outcomes in hospital and prehospital settings.