Viscoelastic properties of polymer mixtures containing micro-ribbons and microfibres for the 3D printing of pharmaceutical dosage forms by fused deposition modelling

Algellay, M ORCID: 0000-0002-8226-1209, Sarker, SD ORCID: 0000-0003-4038-0514, Roberts, M ORCID: 0000-0002-7257-9379, Bosworth, LA and Ehtezazi, T ORCID: 0000-0002-1576-2396 (2026) Viscoelastic properties of polymer mixtures containing micro-ribbons and microfibres for the 3D printing of pharmaceutical dosage forms by fused deposition modelling. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 78 (5). ISSN 0022-3573

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Abstract

Objectives: To match the disintegration time of conventional oral films with 3D printed fast-dissolving oral films (FDFs), micro-composites have been used in the formulation. However, in certain cases the 3D-printer failed to produce desired films.

Methods: The viscoelastic properties were evaluated for polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinylpyrrolidone filaments containing chitosan micro-ribbons and cellulose microfibres as micro-composites with the hypothesis that intermittent nozzle blockage was the mechanism responsible for the observed printing failures.

Key findings: Domination of loss modulus over storage modulus was observed for successful printing. Micro-composites improved the viscoelastic properties of filaments including filaments that failed to print. The novelty of this research was that poor viscoelastic properties could not be accounted for the failure of FDF 3D printing for formulations with high micro-composite contents. Filaments of these formulations exhibited rough surfaces with visible aggregates. These observations suggested intermittent nozzle blockage by aggregated micro-composites could have been the cause of 3D printing failure. This hypothesis was supported by successful printing when printer nozzle diameter increased.

Conclusions: The domination of loss modulus over storage modulus was essential for filaments to achieve successful FDF 3D printing. However, micro-composites at high concentrations in the formulation may induced nozzle blockage leading to printing failures.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	3D printing; fused deposition modelling; viscoelastic properties; fast dissolving oral films; storage modulus; loss modulus; complex viscosity; micro-composites; Polyvinyl Alcohol; Povidone; Polymers; Chitosan; Cellulose; Dosage Forms; Excipients; Technology, Pharmaceutical; Drug Compounding; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Viscosity; Elasticity; Printing, Three-Dimensional; 3D printing; complex viscosity; fast dissolving oral films; fused deposition modelling; loss modulus; micro-composites; storage modulus; viscoelastic properties; Printing, Three-Dimensional; Viscosity; Polyvinyl Alcohol; Povidone; Chitosan; Cellulose; Elasticity; Dosage Forms; Polymers; Drug Compounding; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Technology, Pharmaceutical; Excipients; 3214 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; 32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; Printing, Three-Dimensional; Viscosity; Polyvinyl Alcohol; Povidone; Chitosan; Cellulose; Elasticity; Dosage Forms; Polymers; Drug Compounding; Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; Technology, Pharmaceutical; Excipients; 1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences; 1116 Medical Physiology; Pharmacology & Pharmacy; 3214 Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences
Subjects:	R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology R Medicine > RS Pharmacy and materia medica
Divisions:	Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences
Publisher:	Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date of acceptance:	7 April 2026
Date of first compliant Open Access:	3 June 2026
Date Deposited:	03 Jun 2026 10:50
Last Modified:	03 Jun 2026 10:50
DOI or ID number:	10.1093/jpp/rgag044
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/28713

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