3D printed UV light cured polydimethylsiloxane devices for drug delivery

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Pharmaceutical Technology

Background:

• Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a versatile silicone elastomer with applications in drug delivery.
• Controlled drug release systems are crucial for therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance.
• 3D printing offers precise fabrication of complex structures for drug delivery devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the printability of PDMS using semi-solid extrusion 3D printing combined with UV-LED crosslinking.
• To fabricate drug-containing PDMS structures with varying pore sizes and drug loadings.
• To evaluate the drug release characteristics and mechanical properties of the printed devices.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a semi-solid extrusion 3D printer for fabricating PDMS structures.
• Employed UV-LED light for assisted crosslinking of PDMS.
• Incorporated prednisolone as a model drug into the PDMS formulations.
• Characterized drug release profiles and mechanical strength of the printed devices.

Main Results:

• Successfully printed both drug-free and drug-loaded PDMS devices.
• Determined a minimum UV-curing time of three minutes for adequate crosslinking and mechanical strength.
• Observed higher drug release from more highly loaded structures, irrespective of porosity.
• Demonstrated control over drug release rates by adjusting the surface area to volume ratio.

Conclusions:

• Room-temperature semi-solid extrusion 3D printing with UV-LED crosslinking is a viable method for producing PDMS drug delivery devices.
• This technique is suitable for manufacturing controlled-release systems containing temperature-sensitive drugs due to its room-temperature processing.
• The developed method allows for customization of drug loading, porosity, and release kinetics.