The Strength of Microcrystalline Cellulose Pellets: The Effect of Granulating with Water/Ethanol Mixtures

Abstract

Pellets were prepared by wet granulating with various ethanol/water mixtures utilizing the extrusion/marumerization process. Binary mixtures of 10% active ingredient and 90% Microcrystalline Cellulose (Avicel PH-101) were found to form pellets when granulated with 95% ethanol but not with absolute alcohol. Differences in friability and dissolution were observed between water granulated and 95% ethanol granulated pellets. When mixtures were granulated with varying ethanol/water mixtures, pellets became stronger and harder as the mole fraction of water increased in the ethanol/water mixture used to granulate. experiments showed water granulated pellets were not very compressible whereas 95% ethanol granulated pellets exhibited excellent compressibility.