Simultaneous Milling and Coating and Characterization of Pharmaceutical Powders

Powder-like compounds are widely utilized in various industries to manufacture products. The pharmaceutical industry often relies on powders to create tablets, which requires a homogenous powder. The physical and electrostatic properties of many powders, such as particle size and polarity, are responsible for agglomeration and a non-uniform distribution of particles. By altering the surface of the particles, it is possible to alter its physical and electrostatic properties in order to achieve a more homogenous powder with improved flowability. In this experiment, surface modification was accomplished through simultaneous milling and dry-coating of particles using a magnetically assisted impaction coating (MAIC) device. To determine the optimal coating conditions, the milling time, mass ratio of magnets to powder, coating type (hydrophobic/hydrophilic), and coat percentage were varied in this experiment. The bulk and tap densities of each powder were measured as indicators of flowability. In addition, charge accumulation was measured due to its effect on flowability. There was a significant improvement in bulk and tap density, as well as a reduction in charge accumulation in all cases even with only minor coating