Analysis and Control of Morphological Forms
The pharmaceutical industry, among others, often uses a milling process to control particle size. Milling also mixes powders into a homogenous blend so that a uniform product is formed.
The challenge with milling is that it induces changes on a particle surface from crystalline to amorphous forms. This can be problematic, as different morphological forms have different rates of dissolution and bioavailability. Understanding the effect of processing on powders is important, particularly for pharmaceutical applications.
By preparing different forms and subjecting them to a range of environments, the transition between forms can be monitored and explained, to minimise the over-milling of a product.
Publications
Gururajan, B., Bentham, A. C., Mitchell, J. C., and Snowden, M. J. (2005) Mapping powder flow behaviour. British Pharmaceutical Conference, Manchester, UK, September, 2005. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 57. ISSN 0022-3573.
Major, P. J., Mitchell, J. C., Cornelius, V. J. et al. (2007). The implementation of FT-Raman spectroscopy to study solid state moisture induced changes in the crystallographic nature of pharmaceutical excipients – a lesson in humidity. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 59 A38–A38. Suppl. 1, Meeting Abstract, 99.
Taylor, L. J., Papadopoulos, D. G., Dunn, P. J., Mitchell, J. C., and Snowden, M. J (2004) Milling made easy: nano-indentation as a predictor of bulk properties. Pharmaceutical Technology Europe, December, 2004.