Tailored Drug Release from Polymeric Coatings Fabricated Via Electrospray

Electrospraying is an effective technique for producing polymeric coatings on conductive substrates with smooth topographies. This technique is unique based on its ability to create reproducible coatings in ambient conditions from a plume of charged droplets. These polymeric coatings can be homogeneously fabricated to incorporate potential drug molecules for controlled drug delivery. Conductive substrates such as stents can be coated and used as a vessel for localized drug release in the body. The main objective of the study is to create drug loaded films that exhibit controlled release into a media, Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS). In vivo conditions were simulated by utilizing a thermal shaker and replenishing the PBS after each model drug concentration measurement. The total cumulative percentage of drug release was determined for different model drugs. The controlled release observed was a result of exploiting the change in the glass transition temperature of the polymer, Polyvinyl Acetate (PVAc). PVAc coatings were deposited on metal disks with known geometry to act as vessels. The release kinetics of various coating thicknesses between 10-40 micron have been analyzed. Tailored drug release is desirable for many medical treatments, including cancer treatment.