Nanofilms (or nanosheets) are polymer-based films with very large area (up to tens of cm²) and with a thickness in the order of few tens – hundreds of nanometers. The peculiar properties of these structures make them suitable for different applications; in particular ultra-thin films have been developed for electrochemical devices, as chemical, biological and nano-mechanical sensors, and as nano-scale chemical and biological reactors.

The layer-by-layer fabrication process of polymers enables the fabrication of films which can be modified, functionalized, cut and folded for building novel components of soft robots with micrometer size.

Biocompatibility, flexibility and possibility to carry drugs for controlled release are just some of the most interesting features that nanosheets can exploit. They have been recently presented in the biomedical field for closing incisions after open surgery or laparoscopic procedures, using them as nanopatches or adding them to traditional sutures on wet tissues.

For using nanosheets as plasters to be delivered, targeted and finely positioned in situ on surgical incisions, or to perform therapeutic or treatment tasks, nanosheets must be  precisely manipulated. The possibility to include magnetic components into nanosheets, such as magnetic nanoparticles or nanobeads, represents a first step for the development of magnetic nanosheets with the potential of a remote controlled manipulation.