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Updated: Jul 4, 2025

Accurate Determination of the Equilibrium Surface Tension Values with Area Perturbation Tests
Published on: August 30, 2019
Exploration of surface tension measurement methods for pharmaceutical excipients
Yuqi Li1, Jifeng Shi2, Xinyu Zhang3
1Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, China; NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Pharmaceutical Preparations and Excipients, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, China.
Abstract:
Surface tension is a crucial functional indicator for various classes of pharmaceutical excipients, as highlighted in both the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China (ChP) < 9601 Guidelines for Functionality-related Characteristics of Pharmaceutical Excipients > and the United States Pharmacopoeia (USP) < 1059 Excipient Performance >. However, there are few systematic studies on surface tension measurement of pharmaceutical excipients, resulting in a lack of stable parameter support in practical applications. In this study, we aim to fill this gap by exploring three different methods for measuring surface tension. These methods were carefully developed taking into account the actual measurement process and statistical theory, thus ensuring their applicability and reliability. Through comparative analyses, we have identified the most suitable measurement methods for different classes of pharmaceutical excipients. In addition, this paper describes the surface adsorption behavior of various excipients. Therefore, this study provides valuable guidance for the determination of surface tension and the study of surface adsorption behavior, which lays the foundation for further comprehensive research in the field of surface tension of pharmaceutical excipients and the improvement of general pharmacopoeia specification.
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