Analysis of process parameters and performance test for fabricating stainless-steel metal microneedles

Abstract

Using microneedles to transport drugs is one of the new, painless, and highly efficient transdermal drug delivery methods, which has made great strides in recent years. However, many hollow and solid microneedles are usually made of silicon and polymer materials that have poor mechanical properties. To improve their strength and reliability, in this study, metal microneedles were fabricated by dicing and electrochemical corrosion. Firstly, the process parameters of electrochemical corrosion, including current and solution, were discussed and analyzed in detail for fabricating microneedles with sharp tips. Secondly, the performance test of microneedles was carried out. In a force test, these microneedles could penetrate artificial skin and rat skin, and the skins remained intact. In an in vitro transdermal drug delivery test, the amount of permeated flux of bovine serum albumin (BSA) through treated rat skin increased by 5 times of the untreated ones.