10023288Quantifying Performance of Skin Adhesives in Wet EnvironmentsClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKThe methods used across the healthcare industry to measure skin adhesion are limited as they do not accurately represent the real-life context. This impacts innovation in the area of skin adhesion as there is no widely recognised method to compare different products or technologies. This in particular makes judging the potential of new technologies challenging. Zentraxa's team have developed a biological glue that bonds well in wet and salty environments. We are committed to harnessing this into a water activated adhesive system that bonds more strongly, the wetter it gets. The biochemistry of our glue also makes it well suited for applications in healthcare where skin bonding is necessary. This not only includes the performance in wet, or sweaty, conditions, but the in-built design feature that enables gentle de-bonding, or removal, of wound dressings by application of a glue-dissolving spray. In this project Zentraxa and the National Physical Laboratory will collaborate to lay the foundations for a new and improved test method to measure skin bonding. This method will use materials that more closely mimic the skin's chemistry, keeping the focus on reproducibility of the test method. We will build in the capability to fine tune the water uptake during the test and use this to measure the changes on bonding resulting from the wetness of the material. Ultimately, we will use this to provide a demonstration of Zentraxa's water activated skin adhesive system and generate a compelling data pack to leverage engagement of a leading player in the healthcare industry to bring our water activated and easy-to-remove skin adhesive to market.