Limpet Tooth-Inspired Painless Microneedles Fabricated by Magnetic Field-Assisted 3D Printing |
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| Authors: | Xiangjia Li Weitong Shan Yang Yang Dylan Joralmon Yizhen Zhu Yiyu Chen Yuan Yuan Han Xu Jiahui Rong Rui Dai Qiong Nian Yang Chai Yong Chen |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy, Arizona State University, 501 E. Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ, 85287 USA;2. Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, 925 Bloom Walk, Los Angeles, CA, 90089 USA;3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA, 92182 USA;4. Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, 3650 McClintock Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90089 USA;5. Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, University of Southern California, 2250 Alcazar St, Los Angeles, CA, 90089 USA;6. Epstein Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, University of Southern California, 3715 McClintock Ave, Los Angeles, CA, 90089 USA |
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| Abstract: | Microneedle arrays show many advantages in drug delivery applications due to their convenience and reduced risk of infection. Compared to other microscale manufacturing methods, 3D printing easily overcomes challenges in the fabrication of microneedles with complex geometric shapes and multifunctional performance. However, due to material characteristics and limitations on printing capability, there are still bottlenecks to overcome for 3D printed microneedles to achieve the mechanical performance needed for various clinical applications. The hierarchical structures in limpet teeth, which are extraordinarily strong, result from aligned fibers of mineralized tissue and protein-based polymer reinforced frameworks. These structures provide design inspiration for mechanically reinforced biomedical microneedles. Here, a bioinspired microneedle array is fabricated using magnetic field-assisted 3D printing (MF-3DP). Micro-bundles of aligned iron oxide nanoparticles (aIOs) are encapsulated by polymer matrix during the printing process. A bioinspired 3D-printed painless microneedle array is fabricated, and suitability of this microneedle patch for drug delivery during long-term wear is demonstrated. The results reported here provide insights into how the geometrical morphology of microneedles can be optimized for the painless drug delivery in clinical trials. |
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| Keywords: | 3D printing limpet teeth magnetic field mechanical reinforcement microneedles |
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