(70bc) Compaction of Pharmaceutical Powders

The prevailing pharmaceutical oral dosage form today is the tablet due to its elegance: Tablets of various types and biopharmaceutical properties exist, but their common denominator is the way in which they are formed, i.e., powder compaction. Powder compaction is a complex process involving various mechanisms. An in-depth understanding of this phenomenon is the key to the optimization of pharmaceutical tablet production, hence the importance of sustained research in the field of powder compaction. In literature, it is very rare to find a thorough description of a powder compaction set-up, which is the deciding factor for dependable results. Although the way compact formation is carried out in a laboratory might be common knowledge in the field, apparatus arrangement and design could be a reason for result differences between authors. This work proposes a comprehensive overview of pharmaceutical powder compaction in the laboratory. The tabletting process, with its various steps, will be explained. The necessary conditions for carrying out a reliable experiment, i.e. compact formation and force measurements will be listed. The sources of error will be sought and suggestions will be made to eliminate them. The author has developed a set-up fulfilling as many of the abovementioned requirements as possible and it will be described here.