Effect of lubrication on the distribution of force between spherical agglomerates during compression

We employ the carbon paper technique to aid the understanding of in die force and spatial distributions, upon compression of approximately 1 mm sized spherical agglomerates (pellets) of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). The aim in this study was to test for the effect of lubricant film on force and spatial distributions. Pellets of MCC were formed via granulation and extrusion/spheronisation. Investigation of pellet bed compression was performed on a materials tester. Prior to compression studies the pellets were characterised for bulk density, size and deformability. Two pellet types were investigated; MCC and MCC lubricated with magnesium stearate. The carbon paper technique relies upon carbon paper as the medium for transferring imprints from compressed pellets onto photo quality paper. The digitised images of these imprints form the basis of analysis through the use of image processing software. Using the carbon paper technique within the range of 10-30 MPa indicates that lubrication does not have a significant effect on the distribution of forces between spherical agglomerates during uniaxial compression. Spatial analysis of the imprints revealed that the lubricated pellets exhibited a higher packing order than the unlubricated ones at low applied pressures (10 and 20 MPa), a difference that could not be observed at 30 MPa. Hence interparticle friction and/or cohesion appear to influence the initial particle rearrangement, whereas confinement is suggested to dominate at higher pressures.