On-demand drug delivery bioelectronics through a water-processable low dimensional highly conductive MXene layer

Area of Science:

• Bioelectronics
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Current on-demand drug delivery systems often involve complex manufacturing, limiting their application across diverse pharmaceuticals.
• There is a need for scalable, cost-effective, and biocompatible solutions for precise drug release.
• MXenes offer unique electronic and material properties suitable for advanced bioelectronic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce MXene-coated microneedles (MNs) as a digitally controllable gate-valve system for on-demand drug delivery.
• To leverage MXenes' properties for low-cost, scalable, and biocompatible printable bioelectronics.
• To demonstrate controlled drug release through electrically induced redox reactions of MXene coatings.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of microneedles coated with MXene materials.
• Integration of MXene-coated MNs into a bioelectronic system for drug delivery.
• Application of electrical bias in an electrolytic environment (simulating body fluid) to induce MXene oxidation and drug release.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated digitally controllable, on-demand drug release from MXene-coated MNs.
• Confirmed excellent biocompatibility and operational stability of the MXene-based drug delivery system.
• Showcased low-cost construction, sustainable usage, and structural versatility for multidrug delivery.

Conclusions:

• MXene-coated microneedles represent a promising platform for advanced, on-demand drug delivery.
• The system offers precise, localized, and customizable drug release with potential for broad pharmaceutical applications.
• This approach enables scalable, cost-effective, and sustainable bioelectronic drug delivery solutions.