Fig 1.
Fabrication process sketch for TPMA.
Fig 2.
Solid-state sintering process curve for TPMA.
Fig 3.
Setup for penetration performance test of TPMA.
Fig 4.
In vitro permeation studies using vertical Franz diffusion cells via (a) punctured rabbit skin, (b) TPMA with punctured rabbit skin, and (c) untreated rabbit skin.
Fig 5.
The morphology of: (a-d) TMA green body and (e-h) TPMA.
Fig 6.
The element content of TPMA analyzed by EDS.
(a-b) Elements at the surface of micro-needle and (c-d) elements on the base.
Table 1.
TPMA element content tested by EDS at the surface of the micro-needle and base.
Fig 7.
The relationship between the resistance force and impendence during the TPMA compression process.
Fig 8.
(a) The rabbit skin punctured by TPMA with Rhodamine B and (b) the drug diffusion fluorescence image of punctured skin slices at different depth.
Fig 9.
In vitro cumulative permeated amount of calcein across TPMA with punctured skin, punctured skin, and untreated skin.
The results are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation of three experiments.