The effect of 3D printed microfluidic array designs on the preparation of liposome nanoparticles

Abstract

In this study Digital Light Processing (DLP) was used to manufacture microfluidic arrays with complex geometries for the fabrication of stable liposome nanoparticles. For the purposes of the study three different microfluidic array designs were 3D printed featuring herringbone structures.The effect of the herringbone numbers and the length of the microfluidic channels on the formation of liposomes was investigated by varying the Total Flow Rate (TFR) and the Flow Rate Ratio (FRR). Laser diffraction analysis showed the production of liposomes with reproducible particle sizes and narrow polydispersity index. The obtained particle size was affected by the TFR (3, 5 and 10 ml/min) and FRR (8:2 and 6:4) varying from 40 to 90 nm. However, the number of herringbone structures in the printed microfluidic arrays demonstrated no significant variations on the liposome particle sizes. Stability studies of the formed nanoparticles showed no changes for the 8:2 FRR and small increase of 8–10 nm for the 6:4 respectively. Overall, the study demonstrated the 3D printing capabilities for the printing of complex microfluidic arrays and the successful engineering of liposomes.