Predicting Tabletability of Powder Mixtures

Abstract

The ability to accurately predict the tabletability of powder mixtures from that of pure materials would facilitate the development of tablet formulations in a time- and material-sparing manner. It is, in fact, essential for the successful digital design of tablets. Non-linear regression of tabletability data, tensile strength vs. pressure, using the recently derived tabletability equation leads to three tabletability parameters, σ_max,α & β. σ=σ_max e^(α W^((〖-e〗^((-P)/β-1) ) ) ) Binary mixtures of powders with diverse mechanical properties in 20% (w/w) increments were compressed at a dwell time of 103 ms, and their tabletability profiles were experimentally determined. We then obtained the tabletability profiles of mixtures using tabletability parameters predicted from those of pure powders and volume fraction, using a power law mixing model. The predicted and experimental tabletability profiles are in excellent agreement for all mixtures, indicating the applicability of this prediction approach.