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Polymeric Microneedle Array Fabrication by Photolithography
Published on: November 17, 2015
Engineering Tunable Microneedle Arrays Through Visible Light-Mediated PET-RAFT 3D Printing
Sahil Premprakash Wankhede1,2, Laura Casado Mayo3, Cathal J Kearney3
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|July 27, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed advanced microneedle arrays for drug delivery using 3D printing. This visible light-mediated technique creates robust, tunable microneedles that effectively penetrate skin and release medication, showing promise for transdermal therapies.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Polymer Chemistry
- 3D Printing Technologies
Background:
- 3D printing facilitates patient-specific medical devices and drug delivery systems.
- Microneedle arrays offer a promising route for transdermal drug delivery.
- Visible light-mediated polymerization techniques are advancing fabrication capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate microneedle arrays using digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing with visible light-mediated photoinduced electron/energy-transfer-reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization.
- To investigate the effects of formulation composition and exposure conditions on printability and material properties.
- To evaluate the mechanical properties, skin penetration, drug release, and biocompatibility of the fabricated microneedles.
Main Methods:
- Digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing utilizing visible light-mediated PET-RAFT polymerization.
- Systematic investigation of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMA), and RAFT agent formulations.
- Characterization of mechanical properties (Young's modulus, fracture force) and skin penetration using optical microscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT).
- In vitro drug release studies and biocompatibility assessments with human dermal fibroblasts.
Main Results:
- Optimized formulations enabled the successful fabrication of stable, well-defined microneedle arrays.
- Microneedles exhibited tunable mechanical properties (Young's modulus: 6-13 MPa, fracture force: 0.15-0.38 N) suitable for skin penetration.
- Controlled insertion tests confirmed effective skin penetration without structural failure.
- Drug-loaded microneedles showed rapid hydration, diffusion-controlled release, and maintained mechanical integrity.
- In vitro studies indicated no significant reduction in human dermal fibroblast viability or metabolic activity.
Conclusions:
- Visible light-mediated PET-RAFT DLP printing is a viable method for fabricating mechanically robust microneedle arrays.
- The developed microneedle systems possess tunable properties for effective transdermal drug delivery.
- This technology holds significant potential for creating advanced, patient-specific drug delivery solutions.