Smart adhesive patch sticks securely and releases gently without damaging skin

Most people remember the sharp sting of removing a bandage from the knee. For people with fragile skin, however, this moment can be more than brief discomfort. In neonates, older adults and critically ill patients, repeated attachment and removal of medical adhesives can cause irritation, epidermal damage and even skin stripping.

A research team led by Professors Jin-Tae Kim and Seok Kim in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at POSTECH, with integrated MS-Ph.D. students Uhyeon Kim and Hyein Jung, together with Professor Chang-Hee Son at Texas Tech University, has developed a medical adhesive patch that attaches securely during use but can be removed with markedly reduced force when needed.

The work was conducted in collaboration with Professor John A. Rogers at Northwestern University and was published in Nature Communications.

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