Two spheronized granular formulations containing 20% anhydrous lactose/80% microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and 80% anhydrous lactoseRO% microcrystalline cellulose were blended in various proportions and compressed. Physicalmechanical properties of the resulting compacts were investigated using tableting indices and compared with powder mixtures of the same compositions. The compacts were compressed at a solid fraction of 0.80 for both powder and bead mixtures. An additional set of bead compacts were made at a solid fraction of 0.87. The thickness of the compacts was measurcd in the post-ejection stage to investigate their expansion behavior. The tensile strength with and without a stress concentrator and the dynamic indentation hardness of the compacts were determined. The brittle fracture index (BFI) and bonding index (BI) values were also calculated. The microstructure of the beads and compacts were investigated using scanning electron microscopy to observe the bonding phenomena. The results showed that the compacts made fro-beads underwent different 753 Copyright 0 1995 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. Drug Dev Ind Pharm Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by QUT Queensland University of Tech on 11/21/14 For personal use only. important factor for tablet strength and may be related to the precompaction granule porosity. Healey et al. (5) concluded that the effect of the granule porosity was not important except at low pressure. The influence of other parametcrs, including the homogeneity of binder distribution (6), the particle size of powder and binder Drug Dev Ind Pharm Downloaded from informahealthcare.com by QUT Queensland University of Tech on 11/21/14 For personal use only.

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