We describe stimuli-responsive self-folding polymeric gripping devices which are patterned using conventional photolithography. These grippers are composed of poly(propylene fumarate)(PPF) rigid segments and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid)(pNIPAM) thermoresponsive hydrogel hinges which close above 32oC due to differential swelling and thus grip onto adjacent tissue. Chemicals such as fluorescein or drugs such as mesalamine or doxorubicin were loaded within the polymer layers in the grippers and eluted out in aqueous solutions. The grippers were also engineered in three different ways so that the extent of loading chemicals can be varied. In the first method, we simply immersed the fabricated grippers in chemical solution. In the second method, we created porous PPF layer by salt leaching and soaked the gripper in the chemical solution. In the third method, we mixed the drug powder directly into PPF layer. The cumulative chemical release profiles from these three methods display significant differences and will be discussed. The efficacy of chemical release of the grippers was compared to a control patch. Finally, we discuss the use of such multi-fingered devices for sustained release of drugs via a chemomechanical approach and highlight therapeutic applications in the gastrointestinal tract. Reference: K. Malachowski, J. Breger, H. R. Kwag, M. O. Wang, J. P. Fisher, F. M. Selaru, D. H. Gracias, Stimuli-Responsive Theragrippers for Chemomechanical Controlled Release, Anew. Chem. 2014, 126, 8183 - 8187

Stimuli-responsive self-folding soft-grippers for drug delivery

249th National Meeting (2015)

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