Characterization and investigation of mechanical and biological properties of microneedles based on biomimetic polymer silk fibroin for skin application

Silk fibroin is commonly utilized in biomedical applications due to its exceptional biocompatibility, degradability, and mechanical characteristics. Microneedles are an appropriate technique for transdermal drug delivery. Microneedles are an appropriate technique for drug delivery to the skin. The light microscope and scanning electron microscope(SEM) photos revealed that the morphology and structure of the final microneedles were determined to be beneficial, possibly due to the high quality of the initial mold. This well-formed structure and complete array contribute to the mechanical effectiveness of the microneedles. Furthermore, during the pressure test, it was observed that the maximum force exerted on the needles was 0.65 N/needle, indicating that these microneedles have a high likelihood of penetrating the skin. During the parafilm test, the microneedles successfully penetrated the parafilm till reaching the last layer. It was observed that they possess the required capability to effectively penetrate the skin. During the degradability test, it was observed that the degradation rate is initially slow, which can be attributed to the exceptional mechanical capabilities of silk fibroin. Furthermore, these microneedles exhibited exceptional biocompatibility and demonstrated a cell viability rate of approximately 100% during the durability test. Hence, these microneedles are a viable option for use in the field of dermatology owing to their optimal structure, shape, exceptional mechanical qualities, and biocompatibility.