Diamond-Coated Microneedle Template for Uniform Skin Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microneedle templates, typically made of silicon, are weak in hardness and strength, leading to uneven surfaces and increased manufacturing costs, which affects the uniformity and skin penetration efficiency of microneedles.
Innovation Solution
A microneedle template with a substrate featuring a diamond layer on its surface, formed using a tungsten carbide substrate and a chemical vapor deposition method, providing enhanced stability, uniformity, and skin penetration capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a silicon microneedle array mold is used, then the manufacturing process can be simplified, but the hardness and strength are weak leading to uneven surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a silicon substrate with a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating. The silicon base provides ease of fabrication and cost-effectiveness, while the DLC layer contributes exceptional hardness, surface smoothness, and wear resistance. This composite structure resolves the contradiction by achieving both manufacturing simplicity and high surface precision simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface properties of the silicon mold by depositing a DLC layer, which fundamentally alters surface hardness from soft (silicon) to extremely hard (diamond-like). This parameter change enables the mold to maintain its shape integrity and produce uniform microneedles without compromising the simplicity of silicon-based fabrication processes.
2Ease of manufacture
If a silicon microneedle array mold is used, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but durability and strength are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The silicon-DLC composite structure maintains the cost advantages of silicon fabrication while adding the strength and durability of diamond-like carbon. The DLC coating acts as a protective layer that significantly enhances wear resistance and structural integrity, allowing the mold to withstand repeated use without degradation, thus resolving the cost-durability contradiction.
3Device complexity
If conventional microneedle templates are used, then the structure is simple, but uniformity of microneedles is poor affecting skin penetration
Solution Approach 1:
The DLC-coated silicon template maintains structural simplicity while the diamond-like carbon surface ensures exceptional uniformity in microneedle formation. The hard, smooth DLC surface prevents deformation during microneedle fabrication, ensuring all microneedles are uniformly shaped and sized, which is critical for consistent skin penetration performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by enhancing only the surface layer of the silicon template with DLC coating, while keeping the bulk silicon structure simple and easy to manufacture. This localized improvement provides the necessary surface precision for uniform microneedles without complicating the overall template design or fabrication process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The microneedle template with a diamond layer offers improved durability, reduced manufacturing costs, and enhanced skin penetration efficiency, allowing for the efficient delivery of materials with high uniformity and reduced pain.
Implementation Method 1
formed using a tungsten carbide substrate and a chemical vapor deposition method
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a microneedle template including: a substrate on which at least one microneedle shapes are formed; and a diamond layer formed on the surface of the at least one microneedle shapes, a method for preparing the microneedle template, a microneedle prepared using the microneedle template, and a method for preparing the microneedle.