Roller Compacted Granules Research Articles

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy for the investigation of tablets prepared from roller compacted granules

Roller compaction before tableting is a common unit operation to increase the processability of powders. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) has recently been introduced as a potential process analytical technology (PAT) for measuring tablet porosity based on the refractive index of the tablet. Tablet porosity is a governing parameter for tablet disintegration and dissolution. The first aim of this study was to investigate tablets prepared from roller-compacted materials with THz-TDS to explore its usefulness for particle size evaluation of granules in tablets. Secondly, the impact of roller compaction and granule size before tablet compression on the established THz-TDS based measurement of tablet porosity was investigated. Microcrystalline cellulose and α-lactose monohydrate were roller compacted separately at five specific compaction forces (2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 kN cm−1) and fractionated into three size fractions. Tablets were prepared from the fractionated and unfractionated granules at twelve tableting pressures and subjected to THz-TDS transmission measurements. It was possible to use the scattering behaviour of the tablets at terahertz frequencies to describe the granulated materials’ particle size changes during tableting. At the same time, prediction of porosity was impaired due to the deviation of the refractive index in strongly scattering samples. A correction method was introduced in which the porosity error was corrected based on the tablet’s scattering behaviour, resulting in an improved prediction of tablet porosity. In conclusion, THz-TDS is considered a promising technique for the process monitoring of tableting based on its sensitivity to porosity and particle size changes within the tablet non-destructively, with a possible application as part of an in-process control strategy of the tableting of granulated or non-granulated materials.

Understanding the Multidimensional Effects of Polymorphism, Particle Size and Processing for D-Mannitol Powders.

The relevance of the polymorphic form, particle size, and processing of mannitol for the mechanical properties of solid oral dosage forms was examined. Thus, particle and powder properties of spray granulated β D-mannitol, β D-mannitol, and δ D-mannitol were assessed in this study with regards to their manufacturability. D-mannitol is a commonly used excipient in pharmaceutical formulations, especially in oral solid dosage forms, and can be crystallized as three polymorphic forms, of which β is the thermodynamically most stable form and δ is a kinetically stabilized polymorph. A systematic analysis of the powders as starting materials and their respective roller compacted granules is presented to elucidate the multidimensional effects of powder and granules characteristics such as polymorphic form, particle size, and preprocessing on the resulting tablets’ mechanical properties. In direct compression and after roller compaction, δ polymorph displayed superior tableting properties over β mannitol, but was outperformed by spray granulated β mannitol. This could be primarily correlated to the higher specific surface area, leading to higher bonding area and more interparticle bonds within the tablet. Hence, it was shown that surface characteristics and preprocessing can prevail over the impact of polymorphism on manufacturability for oral solid dosage forms.

Investigation on the effect of roller compaction on paracetamol

Roller compaction is a popular dry granulation method that has been associated with loss of tabletability. In this study, the effect of roller compaction on a model brittle elastic material, paracetamol, was examined. Roller compaction of paracetamol was carried out at three roll force to examine the effects of roll force on the tablet compaction properties. Paracetamol granules consisting of small fragmented crystals were created through the process of roller compaction. A compaction simulator was used to produce tablets from a sieved fraction of roller compacted paracetamol and non-roller compacted paracetamol. Despite the higher elastic energy to plastic energy ratio observed with tablets produced from roller compacted granules of higher forces, the table tensile strength obtained was higher with a lower capping coefficient. At the same time, tablet elastic recovery was found to be lower for tablets produced using roller compacted paracetamol granules. Prefragmentation during roller compaction process helped to reduce the energy required for fragmentation during tablet compaction, increasing the energy available for bond formation. Roller compaction of brittle elastic materials may be a viable option for improving tablet tensile strength and reducing tablet capping.

Understanding the Factors That Control the Quality of Mini-Tablet Compression: Flow, Particle Size, and Tooling Dimension

Despite the increasing importance of mini-tablet for its advantages as pediatric formulations and in modified-release applications, its popularity is limited due to the lack of formulation and processing knowledge in developing such dosage forms. In this study, common grades of microcrystalline cellulose and roller compacted granules with a range of powder properties were used to evaluate the critical material properties required for the successful manufacturing of 1.7-mm mini-tablets. It was found that blends with small particle size had poor flow properties that did not support consistent die filling and also tended to cause tooling jam and damage. While the granulation process was effective in improving blend flow properties by increasing particle size, it is imperative to avoid very large particles that could also cause inadequate flow by blocking the space within the die. Successful mini-tablet compression could be achieved by removing particles larger than roughly 1/3 of the die diameter or milling the granules using a screen less than 1/3 of the die diameter.

Dry pre-coating of active pharmaceutical ingredient with submicron-sized hydroxypropylcellulose in dry granulation using roller compactor improves granule properties

We aimed to investigate the feasibility of our previously proposed method for improving the properties of dry granules by pre-coating of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) with a submicron-sized binder before conventional roller compaction in bench-scale production. Hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC) and acetaminophen (APAP) were used as the binder and API with low compactibility, respectively. The submicron-sized HPC (HPC-subMP) was obtained using a bench-scale spray dryer; the weight fraction for particle size less than 1 μm was a maximum of approximately 50 wt%. Co-mixing APAP with 5–20 wt% HPC-subMP in the high shear mixer resulted in the APAP particles being pre-coated with HPC-subMP (HPC-coated APAP). The HPC-coated APAP particles were converted into granules following ribbons using roller compactors, mixed with other excipients and compressed as a formulation containing 50% APAP using a single-punch tableting machine. The tablets obtained showed a high tensile strength without significantly prolonged disintegration time; thus, the compactibility of the dry granules could be improved using the HPC-coated APAP. Raman imaging study suggested that the distributional homogeneity of HPC-subMP in the ribbons was an important factor in producing roller-compacted granules suitable for tableting of API with low compactibility without any fundamental changes in materials and manufacturing processes.

Differential compaction behaviour of roller compacted granules of clopidogrel bisulphate polymorphs

In the present work, in-die and out-of-die compaction behaviour of dry-granulated powders of clopidogrel bisulphate (CLP) polymorphs, form I and form II, was investigated using a fully instrumented rotary tablet press. Each polymorph was compacted at three different roller pressures [70.3 (S1), 105.5 (S2) and 140.6 (S3)kgf/cm2], and obtained granules were characterized for their physico-mechanical properties. Compaction data were analyzed for out-of-die compressibility, tabletability and compactibility profiles, and in-die Heckel, Kawakita and Walker analysis. The roller compacted granules of both forms showed markedly different tabletting behaviour. Roller pressure exhibited a trend on compaction behaviour of form I granules, whereas, in case of form II, the effect was insignificant. Tabletability of the six granule batches follows the order; I_S1>I_S2>I_S3>II_S1≈II_S2≈II_S3. In case of form I, the reduced tabletability of the granules compacted at higher roller pressure was attributed to the decreased compressibility and plastic deformation. This was confirmed by compressibility plot and various mathematical parameters derived from Heckel (Py), Kawakita (1/b) and Walker (W) equations. The reduced tabletability of form I granules was due to ‘granule hardening’ during roller compaction. On the other hand, insignificant effect of roller compaction on tabletting behaviour of form II granules was attributed to brittle fragmentation. The extensive fragmentation of granules offered new ‘clean’ surfaces and higher contact points that negated the effect of granule hardening.

The Use of PAT and Off-line Methods for Monitoring of Roller Compacted Ribbon and Granule Properties with a View to Continuous Processing

Real-time process monitoring using process analytical technology (PAT) tools can augment process understanding, enable improved process control, and hence facilitate the production of high-quality pharmaceutical products. While beneficial for batch processes, the availability of PAT tools to monitor continuous processes in real time is required to ensure product quality. This paper presents the application of novel process analytical technology (PAT) tools in combination with off-line analytical techniques for the study of a laboratory-scale roller compaction dry granulation process. An experiment whereby roll pressure was linearly increased and the effects thereof on roller compacted ribbon and granule properties of a placebo formulation is described. Analysis of the ribbons and granules was performed using both in-line and off-line techniques. Ribbon envelope density was measured using the GeoPyc, and the results were compared to off-line near-infrared (NIR) measurements and a novel in-line NIR tool, the Multieye. Particle size analysis of roller compacted granules was assessed with traditional sieve analysis, Camsizer and a novel technique, the Eyecon. Both Camsizer and Eyecon have the potential of being used as PAT tools in-line. Additionally the compressibility of the granules was determined using in-die Heckle analysis and the hardness of the resultant compacts was assessed. The compacts were subsequently analysed using off-line Raman spectroscopy to investigate the surface smoothness which was shown to indicate crushing strength for compacts prepared. The results of this initial study demonstrate a good relationship between in-line and off-line measurement of key in-process material attributes. The findings thus support the further exploitation of these new in-line PAT methods in monitoring of continuous unit operations at a commercial scale.

Compaction behavior of roller compacted ibuprofen

The effect of roller compaction pressure on the bulk compaction of roller compacted ibuprofen was investigated using instrumented rotary tablet press. Three different roller pressures were utilized to prepare granules and Heckel analysis, Walker analysis, compressibility, and tabletability were performed to derive densification, deformation, course of volume reduction and bonding phenomenon of different pressure roller compacted granules. Nominal single granule fracture strength was obtained by micro tensile testing. Heckel analysis indicated that granules prepared using lower pressure during roller compaction showed lower yield strength. The reduction in tabletability was observed for higher pressure roller compacted granules. The reduction in tabletability supports the results of granule size enlargement theory. Apart from the granule size enlargement theory, the available fines and relative fragmentation during compaction is responsible for higher bonding strength and provide larger areas for true particle contact at constant porosity for lower pressure roller compacted granules. Overall bulk compaction parameters indicated that granules prepared by lower roller compaction pressure were advantageous in terms of tabletability and densification. Overall results suggested that densification during roller compaction affects the particle level properties of specific surface area, nominal fracture strength, and compaction behavior.

Utility of Multivariate Analysis in Modeling the Effects of Raw Material Properties and Operating Parameters on Granule and Ribbon Properties Prepared in Roller Compaction

This article aimed to model the effects of raw material properties and roller compactor operating parameters (OPs) on the properties of roller compacted ribbons and granules with the aid of principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) projection. A database of raw material properties was established through extensive physical and mechanical characterization of several microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and lactose grades and their blends. A design of experiment (DoE) was used for ribbon production. PLS models constructed with only OP-modeled roller compaction (RC) responded poorly. Inclusion of raw material properties markedly improved the goodness of fit (R2 = .897) and model predictability (Q2 = 0.72).

Granule fraction inhomogeneity of calcium carbonate/sorbitol in roller compacted granules

The granule fraction inhomogeneity of roller compacted granules was examined on mixtures of three different morphologic forms of calcium carbonate and three particle sizes of sorbitol. The granule fraction inhomogeneity was determined by the distribution of the calcium carbonate in each of the 10 size fractions between 0 and 2000 μm and by calculating the demixing potential. Significant inhomogeneous occurrence of calcium carbonate in the size fractions was demonstrated, depending mostly on the particles sizes of sorbitol but also on the morphological forms of calcium carbonate. The heterogeneous distribution of calcium carbonate was related to the decrease in compactibility of roller compacted granules in comparison to the ungranulated materials. This phenomenon was explained by a mechanism where fracturing of the ribbon during granulation occurred at the weakest interparticulate bonds (the calcium carbonate: calcium carbonate bonds) and consequently exposed the weakest areas of bond formation on the surface of the granules. Accordingly, the non-uniform allocation of the interparticulate attractive forces in a tablet would cause a lowering of the compactibility. Furthermore, the ability of the powder to agglomerate in the roller compactor was demonstrated to be related to the ability of the powder to be compacted into a tablet, thus the most compactable calcium carbonate and the smallest sized sorbitol improved the homogeneity by decreasing the demixing potential.

Unified compaction curve model for tensile strength of tablets made by roller compaction and direct compression

A model that describes the relationship between roller-compaction conditions and tablet strength is proposed. The model assumes that compaction is cumulative during roller compaction and subsequent granule compaction, and compact strength (ribbon and tablet) is generated irreversibly as if strength is controlled by plastic deformation of primary particles only. Roller-compaction is treated as a compaction step where the macroscopic ribbon strength is subsequently destroyed in milling. This loss in strength is irreversible and tablets compressed from the resulting granulation are weaker than those compressed by direct compression at the same compression force. Roller-compacted ribbons were produced at a range of roll forces for three formulations and subsequently milled and compacted into tablets. Once the total compaction history is taken in account, the compaction behavior of the uncompacted blends and the roller-compacted granules ultimately follow a single master compaction curve—a unified compaction curve (UCC). The model successfully described the compaction behavior of DC grade starch and formulations of lactose monohydrate with 50% or more microcrystalline cellulose, and may be more generally applicable to systems containing significant proportions of any plastically deforming material, including MCC and starch.

Reduced tabletability of roller compacted granules as a result of granule size enlargement

The mechanism for the frequently observed "loss of reworkability or tabletability" of dry-granulated (DG) powders was investigated in detail using microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). It was hypothesized that granule size enlargement is the primary mechanism to the phenomenon. Detrimental effects of size enlargement on tabletability of plastic materials are predictable based on the physical model of interparticulate bonding within a tablet. In absence of extensive fracture of particles/granules, larger particles/granules exhibit lower surface area available for bonding thus lower tensile strength when compressed under identical conditions. Size effects were first demonstrated using different grades of MCC powders, both whole and sieved, of different particle size distributions. Regardless grade and sieve fraction, larger particles always resulted in lower tabletability, that is, lower tensile strength at the same compaction pressure. It was subsequently shown that enlargement of granules also reduced powder tabletability regardless grade of MCC. Tabletability of sieved granules after roller compacted for one, two, and four times decreased monotonically with increasing granule size but independent of the total number of roller compaction. Moreover, tabletability of fine granules (44-106 microm) was higher than that of coarse MCC powder (Avicel PH-200). These results suggest that the primary mechanism for reduced tabletabilty of DG granules of MCC is granule size enlargement rather than "work-hardening."

Effects of roller compaction settings on the preparation of bioadhesive granules and ocular minitablets

An experimental factorial design was employed to evaluate bioadhesive granules and bioerodible ocular minitablets (6 mg and Ø 2 mm). The purpose of this study was to compare minitablets prepared using roller compacted granules with an optimised minitablet formulation, manufactured on laboratory scale by direct compression. The formulation consisted of drum dried waxy maize starch, Carbopol ® 974P, and ciprofloxacin in a ratio of 90.5/5/3 (w/w/w). Three roller compactor parameters were varied, i.e. the roller speed, the horizontal screw speed and the compaction force, while the vertical screw speed was kept constant. Afterwards, the ribbons were milled to obtain granules suitable for compression. The friability, the flow properties, the bulk material characteristics (apparent and tap density and porosity) and the particle size distributions of two granule sieve fractions (90–125 and 125–355 μm) were investigated. The roller speed and the compaction force have the largest influence on the granule characteristics, followed by the horizontal screw speed. The physical properties of non- and gamma-irradiated minitablets were determined. From the tablet strength, friability and dissolution results, a low compaction force and a high roller speed were shown to be preferable to prepare granules which can be further tabletted into adequate ocular minitablets.

Chronopharmacokinetic considerations in the design of ocular drug delivery systems

An experimental factorial design was employed to evaluate bioadhesive granules and bioerodible ocular minitablets (6 mg and Ø 2 mm). The purpose of this study was to compare minitablets prepared using roller compacted granules with an optimised minitablet formulation, manufactured on laboratory scale by direct compression. The formulation consisted of drum dried waxy maize starch, Carbopol® 974P, and ciprofloxacin in a ratio of 90.5/5/3 (w/w/w). Three roller compactor parameters were varied, i.e. the roller speed, the horizontal screw speed and the compaction force, while the vertical screw speed was kept constant. Afterwards, the ribbons were milled to obtain granules suitable for compression. The friability, the flow properties, the bulk material characteristics (apparent and tap density and porosity) and the particle size distributions of two granule sieve fractions (90–125 and 125–355 μm) were investigated. The roller speed and the compaction force have the largest influence on the granule characteristics, followed by the horizontal screw speed. The physical properties of non- and gamma-irradiated minitablets were determined. From the tablet strength, friability and dissolution results, a low compaction force and a high roller speed were shown to be preferable to prepare granules which can be further tabletted into adequate ocular minitablets.

The Effect of Agglomeration Methods on the Micromeritic Properties of a Maltodextrin Product, Maltrin 150™

AbstractMaltrin M150 is a fine powder of maltodextrin which is a carbohydrate product made by controlled hydrolysis of corn starch. Agglomerated Maltrin was prepared using a fluidized bed granulation process and a roller compaction method, respectively. The micromeritic properties of these two granular products were compared. Three different sizes of granules (20/30, 40/50 and 80/100 mesh size) were used in the evaluation. Granules produced by the fluidized bed method showed a relatively low bulk density as compared to the roller compacted granules. As the granule size was reduced, the roller compacted granules showed a decrease in bulk density while an increase in bulk density was seen in the fluidized bed granulated product. A better flowability of the roller compacted granules was demonstrated by a higher flow rate and a lower compressibility index. For a given compression pressure, roller compacted granules produced compacts with a lower tensile strength. A significant work-hardening effect was exhibi...