Powder Blends Research Articles

Synthesis by solid route and physicochemical characterizations of blends of calcium orthophosphate powders and mesoporous silicon particles.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the synthesis of economic calcium phosphate powders from recycled oyster shells, using a ball milling method. The oyster shell powder and a calcium pyrophosphate powder were used as starting materials and ball milled, then heat treated at 1,050°C for 5h to produce calcium phosphate powders through a solid-state reaction. Electrochemically synthesized mesoporous silicon microparticles were then added to the prepared phosphate powders by mechanical mixer. The final powders were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy to analyze their chemical composition and determine the most suitable process conditions. The biocompatibility of the produced powders was also tested in vitro using murine cells and the results showed good biocompatibility.

Effect of polydispersity in concentrated magnetorheological fluids

Magnetorheological fluids (MRF) are smart materials of increasing interest due to their great versatility in mechanical and mechatronic systems. As main rheological features, MRFs must present low viscosity in the absence of magnetic field (0.1–1.0 Pa.s) and high yield stress (50–100 kPa) when magnetized, in order to optimize the magnetorheological effect. Such properties, in turn, are directly influenced by the composition, volume fraction, size, and size distribution (polydispersity) of the particles, the latter being an important piece in the improvement of these main properties. In this context, the present work aims to analyze, through experiments and simulations, the influence of polydispersity on the maximum packing fraction, on the yield stress under field (on-state) and on the plastic viscosity in the absence of field (off-state) of concentrated MRF (φ = 48.5 vol.%). Three blends of carbonyl iron powder (CIP) in polyalphaolefin oil were prepared. These blends have the same mode, but different polydispersity indexes (α), ranging from 0.46 to 1.44. Separate simulations show that the random close packing fraction increases from about 68% to 80% as the polydispersity indexes increase over this range. The on-state yield stress, in turn, is raised from 30 ± 0.5 kPa to 42 ± 2 kPa (B ≈ 0.57 T) and the off-state plastic viscosity, is reduced from 4.8 Pa.s to 0.5 Pa.s. Widening the size distributions, as is well known in the literature, increases packing efficiency and reduces the viscosity of concentrated dispersions, but beyond that, it proved to be a viable way to increase the magnetorheological effect of concentrated MRF. The Brouwers model, which considers the void fraction in suspensions of particles with lognormal distribution, was proposed as a possible hypothesis to explain the increase in yield stress under magnetic field.

Baobab fruit powder promotes denitrifiers’ abundance and improves poly(butylene succinate) biodegradation for a greener environment

Herein, the denitrification performance of a new carbon source derived from a blend of baobab fruit powder (BP) and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) was evaluated. Nitrate and other nitrogenous compounds’ concentrations were monitored and evaluated over 150 days using real aquaculture wastewater. A reactor packed with 80/20 wt% (PBS/BP) recorded significantly enhanced denitrification (p < 0.05), up to 98.38% averaged nitrate removal, and exhibited better stability at all phases than the control (PBS only). Meanwhile, nitrite and ammonia showed significantly low concentrations in the effluents of the PBS/BP reactors. Essential elements in the PBS/BP confirmed by elemental analysis (SEM-EDS) contributed to the denitrifiers’ high abundance and stability in the system. Through thermogravimetry and spectroscopy, the novel PBS/BP reactor showed a significantly higher biodegradation rate than the control (PBS only). Proteobacteria, Bacteroidata, Chloroflexi, and Desulfobacterota phyla were predominant in PBS/BP reactors. Overall, the novel PBS/BP exhibited promising nitrate removal performance, which could possess great potential for sustainable and greener industrial applications.

In-situ synthesized TiC/Ti-6Al-4V composites by elemental powder mixing and spark plasma sintering: Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties

Titanium matrix composites synthesized using powder metallurgy methods have attracted significant attention due to their extraordinary mechanical properties. In this study, cost-effective and high-performance TiC/Ti-6Al-4 V matrix composites were synthesized and characterized using a combined elemental powder mixing and spark plasma sintering method. Studies on the effect of graphene nanoplate (GNP) content on microstructures of Ti-6Al-4 V matrix composites showed typical Widmanstatten structures without apparent pores and microcracks. The grain size of composites was decreased significantly with the increase of GNP content, mainly due to the pinning effect of in-situ generated TiC particles at grain boundaries, which limited the rapid grain growth of the matrix. Mechanical test results showed that their yield strength and ultimate tensile strength were 889.0 MPa and 988.3 MPa, respectively, and their total fracture elongation was maintained at ∼14.2 %. GNPs/Ti-6Al-4 V exhibited superior strength (e.g., yield and ultimate tensile strength of 1028.4 and 1121.6 MPa, which are 14.4 % and 13.5 % higher than those of the matrix) and maintained a good ductility of ∼ 9.8 % with only 0.1 wt% GNP addition. Carbon nanomaterial (such as graphene nanoplates) induced the precipitation of needle-like nano-secondary phases in trigeminal grain boundary β phases, which strengthened the β-Ti soft phase. The reinforced strength of the composite is mainly attributed to the grain refinement, secondary α phases precipitation strength and dislocations strengthening. This work provides a new methodology for fabrication of high-performance titanium matrix composites (TMCs) combination blended elemental powder metallurgy (BEPM) and sintering technology.

SeDeM expert system with I-optimal mixture design for oral multiparticulate drug delivery: An encapsulated floating minitablets of loxoprofen Na and its in silico physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling.

Introduction: A SeDeM expert tool-driven I-optimal mixture design has been used to develop a directly compressible multiparticulate based extended release minitablets for gastro-retentive drug delivery systems using loxoprofen sodium as a model drug. Methods: Powder blends were subjected to stress drug-excipient compatibility studies using FTIR, thermogravimetric analysis, and DSC. SeDeM diagram expert tool was utilized to assess the suitability of the drug and excipients for direct compression. The formulations were designed using an I-optimal mixture design with proportions of methocel K100M, ethocel 10P and NaHCO3 as variables. Powder was compressed into minitablets and encapsulated. After physicochemical evaluation lag-time, floating time, and drug release were studied. Heckel analysis for yield pressure and accelerated stability studies were performed as per ICH guidelines. The in silico PBPK Advanced Compartmental and Transit model of GastroPlus™ was used for predicting in vivo pharmacokinetic parameters. Results: Drug release follows first-order kinetics with fickian diffusion as the main mechanism for most of the formulations; however, a few formulations followed anomalous transport as the mechanism of drug release. The in-silico-based pharmacokinetic revealed relative bioavailability of 97.0%. Discussion: SeDeM expert system effectively used in QbD based development of encapsulated multiparticulates for once daily administration of loxoprofen sodium having predictable in-vivo bioavailability.

Eutectic In Situ Modification of Polyamide 12 Processed through Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion.

Laser-based powder bed fusion (LPBF) of polymers allows for the additive manufacturing of dense components with high mechanical properties. Due to inherent limitations of present material systems suitable for LPBF of polymers and required high processing temperatures, the present paper investigates the in situ modification of material systems using powder blending of p-aminobenzoic acid and aliphatic polyamide 12, followed by subsequent laser-based additive manufacturing. Prepared powder blends exhibit a considerable reduction of required processing temperatures dependent on the fraction of p-aminobenzoic acid, allowing for the processing of polyamide 12 at a build chamber temperature of 141.5 °C. An elevated fraction of 20 wt% of p-aminobenzoic acid allows for obtaining a considerably increased elongation at break of 24.65% ± 2.87 while exhibiting a reduced ultimate tensile strength. Thermal investigations demonstrate the influence of the thermal material history on thermal properties, associated with the suppression of low-melting crystalline fractions, yielding amorphous material properties of the previously semi-crystalline polymer. Based on complementary infrared spectroscopic analysis, the increased presence of secondary amides can be observed, indicating the influence of both covalently bound aromatic groups and hydrogen-bound supramolecular structures on emerging material properties. The presented approach represents a novel methodology for the energy-efficient in situ preparation of eutectic polyamides, potentially allowing for the manufacturing of tailored material systems with adapted thermal, chemical, and mechanical properties.

Blended tulsi-drumstick herbal tea: Quality and organoleptic properties

Background: Herbal tea is consumed as a refreshing drink for its health benefits and potential therapeutic properties. Herbs such as tulsi and moringa are rich in phenols and antioxidants, which offer several health benefits. Methods: This investigation was carried out during 2019-20, the leaf samples were collected from the field at college campus. Tulsi and moringa leaves were cleaned and dried by using tray drier, blended in different proportions with green tea. The blended herbal tea powder was assessed for moisture, water activity, TSS, phenols and antioxidants. Tea was prepared from these blends and organoleptic analysis was carried out. Result: The moisture content, water activity, TSS, phenols and antioxidants ranged from 7.30±0.058 - 8.70±0.035%, 0.24±0.00- 0.34±0.00, 4.41±0.006g - 8.52±0.006a⁰B, 60.84±0.00h 125.08±0.0058amg GAE 100g-1, 89.16±0.0126i - 93.47±0.100a%, respectively. All the herbal tea samples were in organoleptically acceptable range.

Laser powder bed fusion of AlSi10Mg-based composites with graphene and nanodiamond additions

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processing of aluminum matrix composites (AMC) with blends of AlSi10Mg powder and nanodiamond and graphene additives was investigated. AMC with 0.5 wt% nanodiamonds addition was prepared by mechanical mixing, while AMC with 0.5 wt% of multi-layered graphene was prepared by electrochemical deposition. Initial powders for LPBF were thoroughly characterized and optimal LPBF parameters were found based on the relative density analysis and optical microscopy. Processing windows of both AMCs moved towards lower energy density possibly due to the increased total absorptivity of the powders. Raman spectroscopy results, SEM and HRTEM studies of samples after LPBF demonstrated the absence of nano-diamond in the structure after processing which is explained by graphitization of the nanodiamond particles during laser melting. In case of AMC with graphene additives, carbon-containing particles remained in the structure with partial in situ formation of Al4C3, along with a noticeable strengthening effect, which increased material’s microhardness by more than 40% compared to the initial AlSi10Mg alloy. The strengthening effect is explained by the presence of a network of graphene and Al4C3 particles across the solidified melt-pool promoting the Orowan strengthening mechanism.

Structural behavior of beams cast using normal and high strength concrete containing blends of ceramic waste powder and blast furnace slag

In general, the use of ceramic waste powder (CWP) in concrete production is limited to few percentages (i.e., less than approximately 10–15% of Portland cement), given the resulting decrease in concrete strength and durability. This paper seeks to assess the relevance of blending CWP with blast furnace slag (BFS) to foster pozzolanic reactions and reinstate the drop in strength and structural performance of reinforced concrete (RC) members. Two categories of normal- and high-strength concrete (NSC and HSC) mixtures possessing 34 and 71 MPa compressive strengths are tested in this program. The RC beams measured 2-m in length and were differently configured by steel reinforcements to assess the flexural and shear strengths as well as the bond to embedded spliced rebars. Regardless of the steel configuration, results showed that the structural properties curtail when the concrete mixtures are prepared with 10% CWP replacement rate. This was attributed to a dilution effect and higher CWP porosity that detrimentally alter the concrete microstructure and strengths. The drop in flexural, shear, and bond strengths was found to be fully restored with the use of ternary binder composed of 55% cement, 35% BFS, and 10% CWP. Such results are in line with the improved concrete strength and durability, revealing the relevance of blending CWP with BFS to foster synergistic effects and reinstate the structural properties of NSC and HSC beams. Findings of this work can increase the CWP added-value for the construction industry, while reducing the cement carbon footprint.

In-situ synthesis of CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy by selective laser melting

The CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy is considered to be one of the excellent potential material for metal additive manufacturing. In this study, Elemental powders of Co, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni were blended for bulk samples fabricating to study microstructure, phase composition and mechanical properties. The blended powder shows good printability with various selective laser melting (SLM) parameters and the as-built high-entropy alloy (HEA) samples achieve a reliable forming quality. It has been shown that the as-built HEA presents a single Face Centered Cubic (FCC) matrix and few residual Cr particles, and FCC matrix exhibits a typical hierarchical microstructure. The bulk samples were produced using 320 W laser power, 750 mm/s scan speed and 0.09 mm hatch distance show the best strength and toughness matching. The study has verifified the feasibility of using blended powder to prepare high-quality HEA by SLM.

Sustaining an excellent strength–ductility combination for Ti–6Al–4V alloy prepared from elemental powder blends

Sintered Ti–6Al–4V compacts prepared from TiH2/60Al40V powder blends were subjected to hot rolling and heat treatment under various conditions. The microstructural evolution and mechanical properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, optical microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and universal testing. The hot-rolled Ti–6Al–4V samples with 88% deformation possessed a near-dense lamellar microstructure with ultrafine α lamellae (less than 1 μm). Systematic investigation of the heat treatment temperature and isothermal holding time enabled the evolution of a bimodal microstructure with precipitation of a secondary α phase, ultimately affording an excellent combination of strength and ductility: the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength reached 1248 and 1269 MPa, respectively, with an elongation to fracture of 16.05%.

Evaluating the effect of glidants on tablet sticking propensity of ketoprofen using powder rheology

Punch sticking has been a leading drawback that has challenged successful tablet manufacturing since its initial conception. Due to the capricious nature of the complication, this can arise during any phase of the development process. Even now, identifying such a problem is a prerequisite during the initial stage of development. The present study evaluated the role of Aerosil®200, talc, and Syloid®244 as glidants in varying amounts ranging from 0.0 percent to 2.0 percent w/w on tablets sticking relatively to five different metal surfaces, with ketoprofen as the model drug. Powder rheology is a predictable technique used to calculate the sticking index. The sticking index of each formulation in comparison to each metal coupon was identified by calculating the kinematic angle of internal friction and the angle of wall friction using the shear cell test and wall friction test, respectively. Interestingly, glidants were found to reduce the sticking propensity of the powder blend in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the compression study validated the expected sticking tendency ranking order. According to the research data, the sticking index could effectively be utilized to envisage the possibility of tablet sticking, i.e., by selecting the formulation’s excipient and their percentages or selecting appropriate punched metal surfaces in the tableting process.

Abrasion Resistance and Water Absorption Characteristics of Ti-HAp Hybrid Reinforced Polyetheretherketone Biocomposites

The influence of abrasion on biomedical implant in human body is a constant cause of pain, discomfort and sometimes a repeat of surgery as a result of the complications from the effects of wear on the implants and the negative consequences of the resultant abrasive particles on the surrounding tissue and bodily environment. To alleviate this, a titanium-hydroxyapatite hybrid reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) biocomposite material was developed, characterized and tested. X-Ray Diffraction characterization revealed that the calcined eggshell was composed mainly of lime and portlandite. The calcined eggshell was then used in the synthesis of hydroxyapatite powder (HAp) with characteristic bands confirmed by FTIR spectroscopic analysis. Biocomposites were developed from the blend of titanium and hydroxyapatite powders in varying proportions as reinforcements in PEEK matrix. The developed composites and control sample were subjected to abrasion and water absorption tests from where it was revealed that biocomposite sample reinforced with 10 wt.% orthophosphoric acid synthesized eggshell possess optimum abrasion resistance with a wear index of 0.20 mg/cycle with an acceptable level of water absorption next to the unreinforced polyetheretherketone over a period of 35 days.

High-strength lamellar high-entropy alloys in-situ synthesized by laser additive manufacturing

A high-strength lamellar high-entropy alloy (HEA) of Zr45Ti31.5Nb13.5Al10 with excellent ductility was fabricated by in-situ alloying of blended elemental powders via laser directed energy deposition (DED). Microstructure characterizations suggest that the molten pools with body-centred cubic (BCC) structure and heat affected zones with mixed structure of BCC + ordered BCC (B2) nanoprecipitates, are alternately distributed in the DED-processed HEA with a lamellar structure. During the deformation process, the molten pools are dominated by dislocation planar slipping, while in the heat affected zones, frequent cross-slip and dislocations pinning caused by dispersed B2 nanoprecipitates occurred, which endows a significant strain hardening capability and deformation uniformity in the DED-processed HEA. This research provides new options for the design and manufacturing of HEAs with outstanding mechanical properties for structural applications.

Hierarchical microstructures and strengthening mechanisms of nano-TiC reinforced CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy composites prepared by laser powder bed fusion

High entropy alloys (HEAs) have recently received extensive attention due to their appealing mechanical performance given their simple phase formation. This study utilized laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) to fabricate high-performance HEA components. By processing respective powder blends, LPBF enabled the fabrication of stronger composites with a uniformly distributed reinforcing phase. Here, the impact of varying content of nano-scale TiC (1 wt.%-3 wt.%) particles for strengthening the CoCrFeMnNi HEA was explored. The microstructural features and mechanical properties of the HEA composites were investigated in detail. The introduction of nano-scale TiC into the HEA matrix encouraged the development of cross-scale hierarchical microstructure and eliminated the formation of oxide inclusions. Incorporating more nano-TiC led to a higher dislocation density and more refined microstructure in the HEA composites, whereas posed little influence on the anisotropy of the HEA matrix which typically featuring a <001> texture along the building direction. With an optimized content of nano-TiC (1 wt.%-2 wt.%) used, the strength-ductility trade-off can be overcome by exploiting multiple strengthening mechanisms encompassing grain boundary strengthening, solid solution strengthening, Orowan strengthening, and dislocation strengthening. The HEA composites showed a favored strength-ductility combination with a yield strength of 748-882 MPa, ultimate tensile strength of 931-1081 MPa, and fracture elongation of 23%-29%. This study demonstrates that introduction of nano-scale TiC is an effective way to simultaneously improve the strength and ductility of additively manufactured HEA materials.

Powder properties, rheology and 3D printing quality of gluten-free blends

Food personalization and customization is now easier due to 3D printing, but the printing performance of gluten-free cereal material has hardly been explored. This research investigated the suitability of four gluten-free powder blends for snack 3D printing. The blends were analyzed for their powder properties, and a selected blend served as a model to optimize median particle size (20.9; 155.4; 255.9 μm), amount of water (90; 95; 100% blend basis), and nozzle diameter (0.84; 1.0; 1.2 mm). The best printing quality was achieved with a particle size of 20.9 μm, a water amount of 97.5% (blend basis) and a nozzle diameter of 0.84 mm. With optimized parameters, blends with similar chemical composition but different botanical origin were also printed successfully. However, the mixture with the highest viscosity (τ = 4580 Pa s) showed the best printing accuracy (88%). Powder analysis should be further investigated to be used as a predictor for printing quality. • Printing quality is strongly dependent on powder particle size and nozzle diameter. • Cryomilling of ingredients results in fine particles and high printing quality. • Higher batter viscosity contributes to higher printing accuracy. • Conditions defined for a model blend are applicable to others with similar composition.

Formation of Metal-Oxide Nanocomposites with Highly Dispersed Co Particles from a Co-Zr Powder Blend by Mechanical Alloying and Hydrogen Treatment.

The use of metal powders produced by mechanical treatment in various fields, such as catalysis or gas absorption, is often limited by the low specific surface area of the resulting particles. One of the possible solutions for increasing the particle fineness is hydrogen treatment; however, its effect on the structure of mechanically treated powders remains unexplored. In this work, for the first time, a metal-oxide nanocomposite powder was produced by mechanical alloying (MA) in a high-energy planetary ball mill from commercial powders of Zr and Co in the atomic ratio Co:Zr = 53:47 in an inert atmosphere, followed by high-pressure hydrogenation at room temperature. The initial powders and products of alloying and hydrogenation were studied by XRD, 59Co Internal Field NMR, SEM, and HRTEM microscopy with EDX mapping, as well as Raman spectroscopy. MA resulted in significant amorphization of the powders, as well as extensive oxidation of zirconium by water according to the so-called "Fukushima effect". Moreover, an increase in hcp Co sites was observed. 59Co IF NMR spectra revealed the formation of magnetically single-domain cobalt particles after hydrogenation. The crystallite sizes remained unchanged, which was not observed earlier. The pulverization of Co and an increase in hcp Co sites made this nanocomposite suitable for the synthesis of promising Fischer-Tropsch catalysts.

Effect of Heat Treatments on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Low-Cost Ti-6Al-4V Alloy Produced by Thermomechanical Powder Consolidation Route

This paper investigates the level of properties enhancement achievable by heat-treating Ti-6Al-4V alloy produced from a blended powder mixture using a thermomechanical powder consolidation route involving warm uniaxial pressing and vacuum sintering followed by extrusion at super transus temperature (1150 °C). The as-extruded material with a higher oxygen content of 0.55 wt.% was subjected to two different sub-transus annealing treatments: HT-A: 955 °C/1 h-furnace cooling and HT-B: 925 °C/4 h-cooling @ 50 °C/h to 760 °C-furnace cooling. Room temperature Charpy v-notch impact toughness tests and tensile tests were performed to ascertain the effect of microstructural changes during post-extrusion annealing treatments. After impact tests, analysis of microstructures and fracture surfaces of samples was carried out using optical and scanning electron microscopy. The as-extruded material displayed mean impact toughness of 4 J along with a yield strength of 956 MPa, an ultimate tensile strength of 1150 MPa, and an elongation to fracture of 2.4%. The annealing treatments gave a noticeable enhancement in the impact toughness (average values 5–6 J obtained) while maintaining a yield strength and ultimate tensile strength level of about 992 MPa and 1164–1181 MPa, respectively. Additionally, the level of change in ductility was limited for each sub-transus annealing treatment, and HT-A has given only a 30% increase compared to as-extruded material.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Hypereutectic Al-High Si Alloys up to 70 wt.% Si-Content Produced from Pre-Alloyed and Blended Powder via Laser Powder Bed Fusion.

Hypereutectic Al-high Si alloys are of immense interest for applications in the automotive, space or electronic industries, due their low weight, low thermal expansion, and excellent mechanical and tribological properties. Additionally, their production by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology provides high flexibility in geometrical design and alloy composition. Since, most of the alloy properties could be improved by increasing the Si content, there is much interest in discovering the maximum that could be realized in LBPF Al-high Si alloys, without the appearance of any material failure. For this reason, in this work the production of Al-high Si alloys with extremely high silicon content of up to 70 wt.% was fundamentally investigated with respect to microstructure and mechanical properties. Highly dense (99.3%) and crack-free AlSi50 samples (5 × 5 × 5 mm3), with excellent hardness (225 HV5) and compressive strength (742 MPa), were successfully produced. Further, for the first time, AlSi70 LBPF samples of high density (98.8%) without cracks were demonstrated, using moderate scanning velocities. Simultaneously, the hardness and the compressive strength in the AlSi70 alloys were significantly improved to 350 HV5 and 935 MPa, as a result of the formation of a continuous Si network in the microstructure of the alloy. With respect to the powder source, it was found that the application of powder blends resulted in similar alloy properties as if pre-alloyed powders were used, enabling higher flexibility in prospective application-oriented alloy development.

Pristup baziran na Dizajnu eksperimenata za poboljšanje procesa suvog mešanja u proizvodnji tableta sa niskom dozom Alprazolama uz primenu Raman spektroskopije za praćenje uniformnosti sadržaja

A low-dose tablet formulation, containing a potent Benzodiazepine derivative Alprazolam was developed, considering the achievement of appropriate content uniformity of the active substance in powder blends and tablets as a major challenge. Two different types of lactose monohydrate (Tablettose 80 and Granulac 200) and two different types of dry mixing processes (high-shear mixing and "in bulk" mixing) were employed. To evaluate the influence of the variables (mixing speed, mixing time, filling level of the high-shear and cube mixer, lactose monohydrate type) and their interactions upon the response (content uniformity of Alprazolam in the powder blends), a Factorial 2 4 design (with 4 factors at 2 levels in 1 block) was generated for each type of mixer. For high-shear dry mixing the Response Surface, D-optimal Factorial 2 4 design (with 2 replications and 31 experiments) was used, while for the "in bulk" dry mixing the Response Surface, Central Composite Factorial 2 4 design (with 34 experiments) was used. The process parameters for the high-shear mixer were varied within the following ranges: filling level of 70-100%, impeller mixing speed of 50-300 rpm and mixing time of 2-10 minutes. For the cube mixer the following process parameter ranges were employed: filling level of 30-60%, mixing speed of 20-390 rpm and mixing time of 2-10 minutes. Raman spectroscopy in conjunction with a validated Partial Least Square (PLS) regression model was used as a Process Analytical Technology (PAT) tool for Alprazolam content determination and content uniformity monitoring. The DoE model was further employed to optimize the powder blending process in regard to the achievement of appropriate Alprazolam content uniformity using high-shear mixing and Tabletosse 80 as filler. The desirability function revealed that the following process parameters: a mixing time of 2 minutes, a mixing speed of 300 rpm and a 70% filling level of the mixer would produce powder blends with the lowest variability in Alprazolam content. The three independent lab batches of low-dose Alprazolam tablets, produced with high-shear mixing using these process parameters, conformed to the requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia for content (assay) of Alprazolam and uniformity of the dosage units.