Continuous granulation with a twin-screw extruder: impact of material throughput

Pharm Dev Technol. 2010 Sep-Oct;15(5):518-25. doi: 10.3109/10837450903397578.

Abstract

Agglomeration behavior of a twin-screw extruder at different material throughputs was investigated. Water insoluble dicalcium phosphate and the binder povidone were agglomerated with demineralized water with five different screw configurations using conveying-, kneading- or combing mixer elements. Increasing material throughput mainly had an effect on the particle size of granules. Due to a higher filling degree of the barrel, the particle size was higher at increased material throughput. Granule porosity was generally influenced by screw element type. With a higher element dispersivity granule porosity and friability decreased. Compression of the different granule batches led to comparable tablet properties. A simple scale up in order to increase batch size can be realized by increasing either production time at given material throughput or material throughput.

MeSH terms

  • Calcium Phosphates / chemistry*
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical
  • Drug Compounding
  • Excipients / chemistry*
  • Particle Size
  • Porosity
  • Povidone / chemistry*
  • Solubility
  • Tablets
  • Technology, Pharmaceutical

Substances

  • Calcium Phosphates
  • Excipients
  • Tablets
  • Povidone
  • calcium phosphate, dibasic, anhydrous