NanoPORElution uses so-called nanoparticle lithography in connection with thin etching masks to create nanopores in various polymeric and metallic materials with complex shaped surfaces. The pores are filled with active ingredients, for example to control the ingrowth of implants. The availability of these processes is a crucial prerequisite for the production of novel drug-eluting stents.
The NanoPORElution project uses so-called nanoparticle lithography in conjunction with thin etching masks to create nanopores in various polymeric and metallic materials, which can then be filled with active ingredients. While this process has already been demonstrated on planar, polymeric surfaces, its application to complex-shaped structures such as coronary stents, on which this joint project focuses, is not yet known. For this purpose, several process steps have to be researched and the parameters for the individual process steps have to be determined.
The availability of these processes is a crucial prerequisite for the production of novel drug-releasing stents. If successful, the processes are to be transferred to the company partners involved and lead to the development of corresponding industrial production facilities.
The sub-project of the NMI has the following goals:
i) Establishment of hybrid nanostructuring processes using the self-assembly of nanoparticles as shadow masks on implant surfaces of any shape, in particular made of metal (titanium, stainless steel) and polymers.
ii) Nanopores with large, controllable aspect ratio and tunable release kinetics
iii) Nanomasks: thin, etch-resistant masking layers on implant surfaces, for transferring the nanostructure into the implant material using anisotropic etching processes.
iv) Anisotropic etching processes for metallic and polymeric materials, in particular based on electrochemistry and plasma technology.
v) Ultrathin, biocompatible polymer coatings based on self-assembled polyelectrolyte multilayers for tuning drug release kinetics from nanopores.