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Non-dispersive impact technology for powder flow characterization.
Ainnur Marlyana Abd Majid1, Mohd Hezri Fazalul Rahiman2, Tin Wui Wong1
1Particle Design Research Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor, Puncak Alam 42300, Selangor, Malaysia; Non-Destructive Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research Centre, Smart Manufacturing Research Institute, Universiti Teknologi MARA Selangor, Puncak Alam 42300, Selangor, Malaysia.
A new powder impact tester characterizes flowability using minimal sample mass and space. This method correlates impact crater data with traditional metrics, proving effective for cohesive powders like lactose.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Pharmaceutical Engineering
- Powder Technology
Background:
- Characterizing powder flowability is crucial in pharmaceutical and materials processing.
- Traditional methods often require large sample masses or specific dispersion mechanisms, posing limitations.
- Developing alternative, space-efficient methods for powder flow assessment is needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel powder impact tester for characterizing powder flowability.
- To assess powder flow using a low sample mass (2 g) and an impact mechanism.
- To correlate impact-generated parameters with established flowability metrics.
Main Methods:
- A powder impact chamber was designed to analyze seven lactose grades.
- Powder beds were weight-impacted to create craters; imaging quantified crater depth, ejecta roughness, bed continuity, and deformation.
- Results were compared against Hausner Ratio (HR), Carr's Index (CI), and gas-pressurized dispersibility tests.
Main Results:
- Impact crater profiling and regional topography correlated well with HR, CI, dispersive distance, and surface area.
- Poorer powder flowability was indicated by higher crater signature profiling and topography values, alongside higher HR/CI and lower dispersibility.
- Smaller, rougher, and cohesive lactose particles exhibited higher crater signature profiling and regional topography.
Conclusions:
- The powder impact flow tester is a viable non-dispersive method for powder flowability characterization.
- This approach effectively uses small sample masses and minimal test space.
- The method shows promise for evaluating cohesive powders and understanding particle-related flow behavior.
