Isolation of Densification Regions During Powder Compression

Abstract

An instrumented single punch tablet press has been used to monitor the deformation behavior of materials. Lubricated excipients were compressed to the same maximum punch penetration in a constant fill volume and the densification process was followed. The densification of the powder to form a tablet and the corresponding pressures generated in the die were monitored by the instrumentation. The sampling rate per channel was one data point every 0.5 millisecond in a 1.02 second event. Plots of the densification, In (1 / porosity) versus upper punch pressure in the die, were generated for each tablet formation. The densification plots have six regions which can be isolated based on the upper punch movement in the die. A material's deformation behavior can be described by the densification and pressure changes occurring in the various regions.