Changes in the particle size distribution during tableting of sulphathiazole powder

Five size fractions of sulphathiazole powder (volume surface mean diameter 155, 133, 86, 50 and 41 mum) were compressed into 12 mm diameter tablets on an instrumented single punch tablet machine. The size analysis of the tablet material after compression showed an attrition of the coarser fraction and an agglomeration of the finer fraction. It is postulated that there is a critical particle size where the effects of crushing and bonding cancel each other. The changes in particle size are discussed in relation to some of the compressive characteristics of the powder.