Compaction mechanism and tablet strength of unlubricated and lubricated (silicified) microcrystalline cellulose

This paper describes the differences in compaction properties between microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and microcrystalline cellulose co-processed with colloidal silicon dioxide (SMCC). The different compaction parameters are not only compared for the pure materials, but also for the lubricated powders with magnesium stearate. Neither magnesium stearate, nor colloidal silicon dioxide, facilitates extensively the densification of (silicified) microcrystalline cellulose during compaction. The difference in tablet relaxation of MCC and SMCC indicates a small negative effect of colloidal silicon dioxide on the interparticle bonding strength of unlubricated MCC. However, for lubricated MCC a larger increase in tablet relaxation at a high compression speed was found than for lubricated SMCC tablets. Accordingly, the decrease in tablet strength was larger for the MCC tablets than for the SMCC tablets when lubrication was applied. The examination of the tablet strengths of tablets compressed from physical mixtures of MCC with increasing concentrations of colloidal silicon dioxide proved the slightly negative influence of silicon dioxide on the tablet strength of unlubricated MCC tablets and the positive effect of colloidal silicon dioxide addition on the tensile strength of lubricated MCC tablets. Co-processing of MCC with colloidal silicon dioxide showed no extra contribution on the tablet strength of lubricated tablets above the physical mixtures. The interactions between the different materials were further supported by the interaction parameters based on partial solubility parameters.