Design and Operation of Hybrid Microfluidic Iontronic Probes for Regulated Drug Delivery. Issue 2 (14th January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Arbring Sjöström, Theresia; Ivanov, Anton I.; Bernard, Christophe; Tybrandt, Klas; Poxson, David J.; Simon, Daniel T.; Berggren, Magnus
• Is Part Of: Advanced materials technologies. Volume 6:Issue 2(2021)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2021-01-14
• Subjects: bioelectronics -- drug delivery -- iontronics -- microfluidics -- organic electronics; Materials science -- Periodicals; Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Materials science; Technological innovations; Periodicals; 620.1105
• DOI: 10.1002/admt.202001006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2365-709X

Abstract

Abstract: Highly controlled drug delivery devices play an increasingly important role in the development of new neuroengineering tools. Stringent—and sometimes contradicting—demands are placed on such devices, ranging from robustness in freestanding devices, to overall device miniaturization, while maintaining precise spatiotemporal control of delivery with high chemical specificity and high on/off ratio. Here, design principles of a hybrid microfluidic iontronic probe that uses flow for long‐range pressure‐driven transport in combination with an iontronic tip that provides electronically fine‐tuned pressure‐free delivery are explored. Employing a computational model, the effects of decoupling the drug reservoir by exchanging a large passive reservoir with a smaller microfluidic system are reported. The transition at the microfluidic‐iontronic interface is found to require an expanded ion exchange membrane inlet in combination with a constant fluidic flow, to allow a broad range of device operation, including low source concentrations and high delivery currents. Complementary to these findings, the free‐standing hybrid probe monitored in real time by an external sensor is demonstrated. From these computational and experimental results, key design principles for iontronic devices are outlined that seek to use the efficient transport enabled by microfluidics, and further, key observations of hybrid microfluidic iontronic probes are explained. Abstract : A hybrid microfluidic iontronic drug delivery probe that uses liquid flow for long‐range transport in combination with an iontronic tip to provide electronically fine‐tuned pressure‐free delivery is demonstrated. Based on computational and experimental investigation, key design principles for iontronic devices are outlined that seek to use the efficient transport enabled by a microfluidic source reservoir.