[learn_more caption=”Dr. Jeffrey M. Katz* and Dr. Ira S. Buckner”] Duquesne University Mylan School of Pharmacy and Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Pittsburgh, PA[/learn_more]

Compressibility and compactibility profiles are frequently used to provide insight into the fundamental mechanical behavior of powders during compaction. From a data collection prospective, generating an out-of-die compressibility profile and the corresponding compactiblity profile requires compacting separate tablets at every pressure of interest. These methods are time consuming and also require a considerable amount of raw material for testing. In this work, a method is presented that can be used to generate full out-of-die compressibility and compactiblity profiles using the data from only 2 tablets.

Three commonly used pharmaceutical excipients were evaluated due to differences in their predominant deformation behavior. Data were collected using a Huxley-Bertram compaction simulator (Model #HB1088). Each material was compacted at speeds ranging from 4-400 mm/s using constant loading/unloading rates, and using compression profiles simulating a Hata 38 Station press at speeds ranging from 25 – 75 RPM. One tablet was compacted at the maximum pressure of interest and a second tablet at a relatively low pressure. The in-die data collected during compaction with the maximum pressure of interest and the solid fraction change after ejection for both tablets were used to generate a profile equivalent to a complete out-of-die compressibility profile. After measuring the tensile strengths of each tablet, a compactiblity profile was produced by fitting the out-of-die porosity and tensile strength data to the Ryshkewitch-Duckworth equation. This method generated accurate out-of-die compressibility and compactiblity profiles for the materials studied. Not only is this technique computationally simple, but in cases where only small amounts of raw material are available, this method allows a detailed understanding of a material’s mechanical behavior to be assessed.

* presenting author