Blending Flashcards
Why is there a need for blending?
pharmaceutical dosage forms = each unit dose needs to be of constant volume with a constant mass from a bulk; thus need to mix well
ensure content uniformity of dosage form
definition of blending/mixing?
homogenous mixture where all components are well distributed and in close contact with each other
3 theory of mixing
positive mix, negative mix and neutral mix
what is positive mixing?
complete and spontaneous mix due to diffusion, no energy required (e.g. miscible liquids, gases, vapours)
what is negative mixing?
phase will separate unless work (e.g. stirring) is done (e.g. insoluble particles in liquids or immiscible liquids)
what is neutral mix?
work required to mix but wont demix spontaneously (e.g. mixture of powders)
what is the important type of mix for powders
neutral mix
can a random mix be ideal?
no, standard deviation will be low, but never zero
- but still the end goal at the end of blending
3 types of mixing mechanism
convective, shear, diffusive
what is convective mixing
move a group of adjacent particles from one location to another within the mixture
- insert spatula and lift portion of powder and deposit elsewhere
what is shear mixing?
slip planes formed –> shear mixing occurs at the interfaces on the shear plane
what is diffusive mixing
body of powder lifted beyond angle of repose and particles avalanche, tumbling over each other; aka micromixing
principle: diff in velocity of powder layer (concept similar to diffusion in liquids)
INVOLVES individual particles
what is an important thing to take note of diffusive mixing compared to shear and convective mixing?
diffusive mixing involves individual particles, unlike shear and convective mixing which involve particle groups
What causes segregation? (3 factors)
(1) diff in particle size
(2) diff in particle shape
(3) diff in particle density
why does segregation happen?
(1) can happen at diff steps of the feeding process from hopper to feeder (powder transfer)
(2) segregation tendency increases when there is a large difference in form, size, or density
5 mechanisms of segregation?
- percolation
- elutriation
- projection
- feed or heap
- shear
what is percolation segregation?
powder bed subjected to movement or vibration: finer powder and/or denser powder particles precolate to the bottom
seen in bins that vibrate
what is elutriation segregation
air stream rushing through a powder bed to sift out the finer and/or lighter particles
seen when empty tube filled with powder
what is projection segregation?
powder bed projected into the air; due to inertial forces, heavier particles projected further
seen in horizontal belt conveyer
what is feed or heap segregation
heavier/larger particles roll further down (away from center) a heap of powder
seen when charging (pouring) a hopper or bin
what is shear segregation?
2 planes in powder bed shear, finer powder particles at the top will fill the voids of the bottom layer
seen when powder blend flows down a slope
what is ordered mixing
fine particles are mixed with coarser (carrier) particles, where the fine particles may coat the carrier, and form a relatively stable blend which will not segregate