Fabrication of neural interfaces using 3D projection micro-stereolithography

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9555583-B1
Application number	US-201314085671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2013
Priority date	Nov 20, 2012
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

The present invention is related to methods of fabricating neural interfaces using 3D projection micro-stereolithography.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of fabricating a neural interface, comprising: coating a photo-curable polymer resin on a substrate,
displaying an image comprising regular pores onto the polymer resin-coated substrate using projection micro-stereolithography, thereby cross-linking the resin, and
developing the imaged polymer-resin coated substrate in the presence of a first solvent system, thereby revealing an array of pores formed within a porous polymer mat, wherein the first solvent system determines a feature size of the pores, and
wherein the developing step provides a reduction in the feature size of pores within the porous polymer mat, as compared to a feature size of the regular pores provided in the image.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer resin further comprises a conductive particle or a precursor thereof, and wherein the porous polymer mat comprises a polymer composite.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the conductive particle comprises a metal nanoparticle, a metal microparticle, carbon black, graphene, or a carbon nanotube; or wherein the conductive particle precursor comprises a photoreducible graphene oxide or a metal salt.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the mass loading of the conductive particle or precursor thereof is from about 0.5% to about 70% by volume.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the polymer composite comprises an electrically conductive region and an insulating region between adjacent pores.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the electrically conductive region comprises the conductive particle-loaded or conductive particle precursor-loaded polymer proximate each pore.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the conductive particles are elongated.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the elongated conductive particles have a long characteristic dimension that is at least ten times greater than a short characteristic dimension.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the porous polymer mat has a Young's modulus of between about 10 and about 1000 kPa.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the array of pores has a pore size of from about 10 μm to about 900 μm.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the porous polymer mat has a thickness of less than about 300 μm.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer resin comprises a silicone, a polyolefin, a polyester, a polyurethane, a polyimide, a polyethylene glycol, or a ring opening metathesis polymerization formed polymer, or a copolymer thereof.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymer resin is the polyester comprising polybutylene fumarate.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymer resin is the silicone comprising silanol-terminated polydimethylsiloxane.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymer resin is the silicone comprising at least one photo-crosslinkable reactive group.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one photo-crosslinkable reactive group comprises an acrylate, methacrylate, maleimide, allyl, or vinyl group.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the silicone comprises methacryloxypropyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the polymer resin further comprises a photoinitiator.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the photoinitiator is a bisacyl phosphine oxide or a monoacylphosphine oxide.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the polymer resin further comprises at least one photo-crosslinkable reactive group.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the porous polymer mat further comprises one or more therapeutic agents.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the therapeutic agent is selected from the group consisting of a neurotrophin, a growth factor, a cytokine, a chemokine, a lymphokine, a cell, a protein, a peptide, a drug, an axonal guidance protein, an extracellular matrix (ECM) molecule, and a morphogen.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the porous polymer mat further comprises one or more neurotrophins and one or more ECM molecules.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the one or more therapeutic agents are encapsulated in one or more particles or fibers.

25. The method of claim 1 , wherein the photo-curable polymer resin comprises one or more therapeutic agents.

26. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adsorbing one or more therapeutic agents on the surface of the porous polymer mat and/or within one or more pores.

27. The method of claim 1 , further comprising incorporating a delivery vehicle on the surface, or a portion thereof, of the porous polymer mat and/or within one or more pores of the porous polymer mat, wherein the delivery vehicle comprises one or more therapeutic agents.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the delivery vehicle comprises a degradable polymer.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the incorporating step comprises electrospinning, coating, casting, spreading, dipping, spraying and/or using projection micro-stereolithography.

30. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first solvent system comprises dichloroethane, hexane, toluene, water, or combinations thereof.

31. The method of claim 1 , wherein the developing step comprises developing the imaged polymer-resin coated substrate in the presence of the first solvent system to provide a resultant substrate and then further developing the resultant substrate in the presence of a second solvent system, and wherein the first and second solvent systems are different.

32. The method of claim 1 , wherein the displaying step comprises use of a light source.

Assignees

• Sandia Corp
• Stc Unm
• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Dirk Shawn M
• Buerger Stephen
• Cicotte Kirsten Nicole
• Dirk Elizabeth L
• Reece Greg
• Lin Patrick

Classifications

• A61N1/0551 Primary

  Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes · CPC title

• A61B17/1128

  of nerves · CPC title

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B29C67/0062 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• A61B2017/00526

  Methods of manufacturing · CPC title