Nanometric Faujasite (FAU) Zeolite Ion‐Exchanged With Metal Ions for Hemostatic and Antimicrobial Applications: A Thromboelastographic and Microbiological Study

ABSTRACT Integrating antimicrobial functionality with the intrinsic clot‐promoting properties of zeolites represents a promising strategy for next‐generation wound‐care materials, where rapid hemorrhage control must be coupled with infection prevention. Here, we investigate nanocrystalline Faujasite (NanoFAU) and its ion‐exchanged derivatives to elucidate how extra‐framework cation identity governs the balance between hemostatic and antimicrobial performance. NanoFAU samples exchanged with Ag + , Ba 2 + , Ca 2 + , and Mg 2 + were comprehensively characterized by XRD, SEM/HRTEM/EDS, AFM, BET surface area analysis, 2 9 Si MAS NMR and FT‐IR spectroscopy, confirming preservation of the FAU framework and successful cation substitution. All ion‐exchanged materials exhibited isoelectric points below physiological blood pH, consistent with negatively charged, procoagulant surfaces. Thromboelastography revealed that Ca 2 + ‐exchanged NanoFAU (NanoFAU‐Ca) achieved the most pronounced hemostatic response ( R = 1.1 min; K = 1.2 min; MA = 60.3 mm), whereas Ag + ‐exchanged NanoFAU (NanoFAU‐Ag) provided strong antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) and Candida albicans (ATCC 90028), displaying bactericidal and fungistatic effects, respectively. Importantly, NanoFAU‐Ag maintained cell viability above the ISO 10993‐5 cytotoxicity threshold in HaCaT keratinocytes. These findings demonstrate that ion exchange enables rational tuning of NanoFAU to achieve complementary hemostatic and antimicrobial functionalities while preserving cytocompatibility, establishing NanoFAU as a versatile inorganic platform for multifunctional wound management and supporting future in vivo evaluation.