Thermal and structural properties of a polymer-based ternary system for the 3D printing of personalized pharmaceutical formulations

Details

Supervisors

Jonas, Alain M. ; des Rieux, Anne

Faculty

Ecole polytechnique de Louvain

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur civil biomédical, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

Advances in personalized medicine are transforming healthcare by providing treatments tailored to individual patient needs. Traditional pharmaceutical manufacturing methods are often inadequate for producing customized medications, particularly for complex cases requiring precise dosages and release profiles. The integration of 3D printing technology in pharmaceutical formulation offers an innovative approach to overcoming these limitations, enabling the creation of personalized drug delivery systems. This study investigates the thermal and structural properties of a polymer-based ternary system suitable for the 3D printing of personalized pharmaceutical formulations. Specifically, this research focuses on the interactions between polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyethylene glycol (PEG), and examines the incorporation of aspirin as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) to enhance its release profile. A series of experiments were conducted to examine the thermal and structural properties of PCL/PEG blends in order to understand their crystallization and phase separation behavior. Techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fast differential scanning calorimetry (fDSC) were used to study the thermal behavior of these blends. Additionally, polarized optical microscopy (POM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to analyze the morphology of PCL/PEG and PCL/PEG/aspirin blends. The fDSC curves of PCL/PEG blends indicate superimposed signals of pure PCL and PEG, suggesting phase separation with minimal interaction and limited miscibility. SEM images confirmed this, showing distinct PEG phases within the PCL matrix. After PEG extraction, isolated but non-interconnected porosities were observed, questioning the effectiveness of PCL/PEG blends in drug release enhancement. In addition, the inclusion of aspirin formed a separate crystalline phase, limiting its interaction with the polymer matrix and not improving its release profile. This thesis contributes to the understanding of biodegradable polymer blends for 3D printable drugs. Although the PCL/PEG/aspirin system showed limited drug release enhancement, it provides a foundation for future research. Efforts could focus on modifying one of the polymers to achieve better miscibility and controlled drug release.