Foster-Miller is developing unique blood collection bags for the U.S. Army.  The goals are to collect, lyophilize, store, and re-constitute blood products for combat care of military personnel.  Use of one bag for processing helps prevent contamination of blood while transferring to another container.  The bag utilizes breathable polymers to enhance water vapor transmission during lyophilization.  Upon removal of the water vapor and vacuum, the access port permanently seals and the bag can be stored at ambient conditions.  The blood products can be reconstituted when desired.  Bag test lyophilizations have shown high drying rates and 100 percent protein recovery.

The expertise applied to this project includes:

• Program management
• Plastics engineering
• Microbiology
• Mechanical engineering
• Package engineering
• Thermodynamics
• Impulse welding technology.

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