Surface engineering and coating of polymer templates for metal microneedle array fabrication

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Microneedles (MNs) , small needles typically about 100 - 1000µm long, are one of the most promising ways forachieving trasdermal delivery of drugs & the removal of bodily fluids. MNs allow virtually pain free insertioninto the skin; can be used by untrained personnel & deliver drugs very efficiently. However the cost ofmanufacturing these devices is limiting the adoption of this emerging technology. Using a highly innovative,and potentially World leading, surface engineering approach, we aim to develop and carry out a proof ofconcept test of a new low cost MN manufacturing process which is based upon the selective surface treatmentof polymer templates which will then provide the sites for metal MN growth. The MN arrays, multiple MNsat ~ 1mm pitch, are then released from the template. Picofluidics (PICO)and Coventry University (COV) willdevelop and implement process steps to make solid and hollow metal MNs and characterise small arrays ofrepresentative devices. Using an equivalent Si micromachined device as a benchmark we aim to demonstrate>66% reduction in cost through the use of this novel approach.Finance Summary Table – How to complete this section