Volume 89, Issue 2 pp. 178-190
Research Article

Characterization of wet masses of pharmaceutical powders by triaxial compression test

Jian-Xin Li

Jian-Xin Li

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S2, Canada

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Yousheng Zhou

Yousheng Zhou

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S2, Canada

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Xiao Yu Wu

Corresponding Author

Xiao Yu Wu

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S2, Canada

University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S2, CanadaSearch for more papers by this author
Isa Odidi

Isa Odidi

Biovail Corporation International, 2488 Dunwin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1J9, Canada

IntelliPharmaCeutics Canada, 2449 Dunwin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1T1, Canada

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Amina Odidi

Amina Odidi

IntelliPharmaCeutics Canada, 2449 Dunwin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1T1, Canada

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Abstract

The mechanical and rheologic properties of wet masses of pharmaceutical powders determine their processibility and the quality of the product prepared by extrusion/spheronization. In this work, a triaxial compression test was attempted for the first time to characterize material properties of pharmaceutical wet masses of different hydrophilicity and particle sizes. The stress-strain curves and the pore pressure were determined at various cell pressures. The failure criteria of the wet masses were obtained from the stress path on the deviator stress plane. The cohesion (c) and the angle of internal friction (φ) were evaluated from the intercept and the slope of the failure loci. The stress-strain behavior strongly depended on the type of powders and cell pressure. The values of c and φ were similar for wet masses of EC FP, MCC PH101, and SMCC 50, but a very small φ and a very high c value for HPMC. The shear strength and rigidity of the wet masses were in the order of EC FP > SMCC 50 > MCC PH101 > HPMC, whereas the elastic recovery was in the opposite order. These material parameters could be used as references for selection of excipients and formulation for extrusion/spheronization. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmaceutical Association J Pharm Sci 89: 178–190, 2000

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