Characterization of microcrystalline cellulose and silicified microcrystalline cellulose wet masses using a powder rheometer

Abstract

A powder rheometer has been used to study the properties of wet powder masses and the results have been compared to the mixer torque rheometer (MTR). Two different microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) grades (Avicel and Emcocel) and silicified microcrystalline cellulose (SMCC, Prosolv) were used as model powders. The wet massing behaviour of one material (Prosolv) was studied by the powder rheometer using liquid addition experiments, while the rheological properties of wet granules were studied using both the powder rheometer and the MTR. In water addition measurements the torque behaved in a similar way to MTR measurements and the maximum value of ZTL (zero torque limit) was achieved at the capillary state of wet mass. The wet granules exhibited different behaviour in the powder rheometer and the MTR experiments, which indicates that these rheometers involve different shear forces or they measure different properties of the wet granules. Emcocel wet masses achieved the capillary state at lower liquid amount than Avicel and Prosolv masses, which indicates that Emcocel is not able to hold as much water in the internal structure as Avicel and Prosolv. The powder rheometer proved to be a sensitive piece of equipment, which can be used to study both dry and wet powder masses. It was able to distinguish wet granules from wet powder masses after liquid addition, whereas the MTR could not. However, before the powder rheometer can be properly utilised in wet powder mass studies, the problem of torque overload requires resolution.