Printabily of Pharmaceutical-Grade Polymers using Selective Laser Sintering with a CO₂ Laser

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Additive Manufacturing
• Materials Science

Background:

• Selective laser sintering (SLS) is emerging as a key technology for pharmaceutical applications, particularly in the 3D printing of solid oral dosage forms.
• The ability to precisely control drug release profiles through tailored formulations makes SLS highly attractive for personalized medicine.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the suitability of diverse pharmaceutical-grade polymers for tablet manufacturing via SLS using a CO2 laser.
• To investigate the influence of polymer properties and SLS printing parameters on tablet characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Seven pharmaceutical-grade polymers with varied release profiles were characterized for properties like glass transition temperature, degradation temperature, particle size, and flowability.
• Tablets were fabricated using an SLS printer with a CO2 laser, optimizing parameters including laser power, bed temperature, scanning speed, and powder feed rate.
• The physical properties (hardness, friability) and microstructure of the printed tablets were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Significant variations in polymer properties were observed, impacting their suitability for SLS printing.
• All selected polymers were successfully used to reproducibly fabricate tablets by adjusting printing parameters.
• Tablet hardness ranged from 31 to 350 N, and friability varied significantly (below 1% to over 5%) based on polymer type and laser intensity.

Conclusions:

• Pharmaceutical-grade polymers can be effectively utilized for tablet production using selective laser sintering with a CO2 laser.
• The choice of polymer and optimization of printing parameters are crucial for achieving desired tablet physical properties and performance.
• SLS offers a versatile platform for fabricating customized solid oral dosage forms with controlled release characteristics.