Effective Modification of Particle Surface Properties Using Ultrasonic Water Mist

Abstract

Abstract. The goal of the present study was to design a new technique to modify particle surface properties and, through that, to improve flowability of poorly flowing drug thiamine hydrochloride and pharmaceutical sugar lactose monohydrate of two different grades. The powdered particles were supplied by a vibratory feeder and exposed to an instantaneous effect of water mist generated from an ultrasound nebulizer. The processed and original powders were evaluated with respect to morphology (scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and spatial filtering technique), flow, and solid state properties. It was found that rapid exposition of pharmaceutical materials by water mist resulted in the improvement of powder technical properties. The evident changes in flowability of coarser lactose were obviously due to smoothing of particle surface and decreasing in the level of fines with very slight increment in particle size. The changes in thiamine powder flow were mainly due to narrowing in particle size distribution where the tendency for better flow of finer lactose was related to surface and size modifications. The aqueous mist application did not cause any alteration of the crystal structures of the studied materials. The proposed water mist treatment technique appears to be a robust, rapid, and promising tool for the improvement of the technological properties of pharmaceutical powders.

Characterization and Prediction of the Non-Bonded Molecular Interactions between Racemic Ibuprofen and α-Lactose Monohydrate Crystals Produced from Melt Granulation and Slow Evaporation Crystallization

“…The endotherm at notation (3) (131 °C, granules) and notation (4) (144 and 148 °C, ALM) are believed due to the dehydration of crystalline water. These values are within and over the range of 120 and 140 °C which were reported by previous researchers [43][44][45][46][47][48]. The lower value of 131 °C (notation 3, granules) relative to 144 and 148 °C (notation 4, ALM) might be due to partial water evaporation during heat treatment at 70 °C during granulation process by PSG [49].…”

Nano-coating of β-galactosidase onto the Surface of Lactose by Using an Ultrasound-assisted Technique

“…The processing system has been illustrated and described in our earlier paper (19). A prefiltered yellowish solution of the 1% (m/V) β-galactosidase was aerosolized using a commercially available nebulizer (Ultrasonic Nebulizer NE-U17, Ultra Air, Omron, the Netherlands).…”

“…We deposited the protein substance β-galactosidase onto the surface of lactose carriers and determined the increase in the amount of the surface-attached enzyme. Briefly, the coarse lactose was coated with a 1% (m/V) lactase solution that was nebulized by ultrasound-assisted technique developed in our earlier study (19). The idea was to avoid overwetting of the powder mass and prevent activation of the enzyme, both of which are difficult to achieve using more complex devices such as the fluid bed technique.…”

Characterisation of dry powder inhaler formulations using atomic force microscopy

“…A sequence of alternate steps of wetting and drying in a high-shear mixer smoothed the particle edges and resulted in a less rough surface. The application of water sprayed from an ultrasound nebuliser also improved the particle surface smoothness and the flowability of the formulation (Genina et al, 2009).…”