Thermal studies on the interaction of water and microcrystalline cellulose

The interaction between water and microcrystalline cellulose in the absence and presence of lactose has been studied by thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis and immersional calorimetry. The results indicate that most of the water held within a system used for the preparation of spherical granules by extrusion/spheronization is present as free water which may be readily lost by evaporation. There is approximately 0.856 mol of water per 100 g of microcrystalline cellulose which appears to be absorbed as structured water. Microcrystalline cellulose may therefore be described as a 'molecular sponge'. The enthalpy of fusion of the 'free' water offers a simple method of estimating the effective surface area of the microcrystalline cellulose.