A team from Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) in South Korea has created a bioinspired nanofibrous drug delivery patch that adheres closely enough to the skin that it maintains contact even when the wearer bends and stretches, which would typically create gaps.

Taking inspiration from the suction cups of an octopus, the new patch employs microscopic suction structures to adhere to the skin, even amid deformation. To develop the patch, the team combined cellulose nanofibers with an octopus-inspired suction architecture to achieve both attachment stability and transdermal delivery performance.

Source: Nano Research, Tsinghua University Press

The team built their octopus-inspired imprinted fibrous (OIF) patch using a thermal imprinting process that creates high-resolution structures, without compromising the material’s properties. The bioinspired patch uses suction structures that deform under gentle pressure, creating localized negative pressure that enables the device to conform closely to the skin. This provides stable, adhesive-free attachment and helps maintain consistent drug delivery even as the skin bends during everyday movement.

Transdermal drug delivery is a noninvasive alternative to pills and injections, but movement can create gaps between conventional patches and the skin, reducing their effectiveness. Existing solutions often depend on complex electronics or external power sources, increasing manufacturing complexity. The suction-activated nanofibrous patch addresses these challenges with a power-free approach designed to maintain adhesion and delivery performance during movement.

In the lab, the team discovered that the new patch strongly adhered to dry, damaged and highly deformed skin surfaces. Meanwhile, active ingredients were effectively delivered even when the skin was bent up to 90 degrees. The new patch achieved up to 350% greater delivery depth when measured against existing nonpatterned nanofiber patches under dynamic conditions.

The patch is being eyed for future cosmetics, skincare and drug delivery applications.

An article detailing the patch, “A bioinspired suction-activated nanofibrous patch for adaptive skin adhesion and enhanced transdermal delivery,” appears in the journal Nano Research.