A shear cell study on oral and inhalation grade lactose powders
Shear cell tests have been conducted on twenty different lactose powders, most of which commercially available for oral or inhalation purposes, spanning a wide range of particle sizes, particle morphologies, production processes. The aims of the investigation were: i) to verify the reliability of the technique in evaluating and classifying the flowability of powders; ii) to understand the connection between the flowability of a powder and the morphological properties of its particles; iii) to find a general mathematical relationship able to predict the yield locus shape given the particle size, shape and consolidation state of a lactose powder. These aspects and their limitations are detailed in the manuscript together with other interesting findings on the stick-slip behavior observed in most of the lactose powders examined.
Highlights
• 16 different lactose powders investigated in detail using shear cell tests.• The variability of the shear cell results was investigated and reduced.
• A formula to predict the yield locus at a given consolidation state was provided.
• Stick-slip oscillations in lactose powders were detected and analyzed in detail.
Table 1. Particle size (dv50), lactose grade and number code for each powder analyzed in the present paper.
| Product Name | dv50 (μm) | # | Particle shape |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inhalac500 | 2.5 | 0 | Micronized |
| Lacto-Hale 300 | 2.7 | 1 | Micronized |
| Lacto-Sphere MM3 | 3.0 | 2 | Micronized |
| Excipure DPI 221 | 17.0 | 3 | Single Tomahawk |
| Foremost 310 regular NFLM | 71.0 | 4 | Single Tomahawk |
| Excipure DPI 211 | 117.0 | 5 | Single Tomahawk |
| Excipress SD2 150 | 127.0 | 6 | Spherical |
| FlowLac 90 | 129.0 | 7 | Spherical |
| Excipress GR 150 | 154.0 | 8 | Fused Tomahawk |
| Tablettose 70 | 178.0 | 9 | Fused Tomahawk |
| Lactose Monohydrate 80 Mesh | 195.0 | 10 | Single Tomahawk |
| Respitose SV 001 | 220.0 | 11 | Single Tomahawk |
| Excipure DPI 111 | 248.0 | 12 | Single Tomahawk |
| Capsulac 60 | 293.0 | 13 | Fused Tomahawk |
| SacheLac 80 | 320.0 | 14 | Fused Tomahawk |
| Pharmatose 50 M | 342.0 | 15 | Single Tomahawk |
Download the full Science direct publication here: A shear cell study on oral and inhalation grade lactose powders
A shear cell study on oral and inhalation grade lactose powders
Author: G. Cavalli,R. Bosi,A. Ghiretti,C. Cottini,A. Benassi,R. Gaspari
Publication: Powder Technology
Publisher: Elsevier