Biomimetic Material Selection for Therapeutic Microneedles: An Analytic Hierarchy Process-Based Multi-Criteria
Hussain F Abualkhair1, Fahad Sulaiman Obaid2, Mohammed Alquraish3
1Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.
Polymers
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Polymers are the best material for therapeutic microneedles due to superior biocompatibility and manufacturability, according to a new decision-making model. This research aids in selecting optimal materials for advanced transdermal drug delivery systems.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Pharmaceutical Technology
- Materials Engineering
Background:
- Microneedles offer a pain-free alternative to traditional injections for transdermal drug delivery.
- Selecting optimal materials for therapeutic microneedles is critical but complex, requiring systematic evaluation.
- Existing methods lack a comprehensive framework for comparing diverse material properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDA) model for evaluating therapeutic microneedle materials.
- To systematically rank polymers, metals, ceramics, and silicon based on key performance criteria.
- To provide decision guidelines for material selection in various microneedle applications.
Main Methods:
- Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed to establish a decision-making framework.
- Five performance criteria were defined and weighted: biocompatibility, mechanical properties, manufacturability, cost, and compatibility.
- TOPSIS and ELECTRE methods validated the AHP framework, alongside sensitivity analysis.
Main Results:
- Polymers emerged as the most suitable material (38.3% global priority), excelling in biocompatibility and manufacturability.
- Metals ranked second (31.8%), favored for their mechanical properties, followed by ceramics (17.6%) and silicon (12.3%).
- Sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the material rankings.
Conclusions:
- The developed MCDA framework provides a systematic approach to selecting the best materials for therapeutic microneedles.
- Polymers are recommended for dissolving microneedles and controlled release; metals for liquid delivery; ceramics for specialized applications; and silicon for research.
- This study guides material selection to optimize transdermal drug delivery system design and performance.
