Influence of plasticizers on tableting properties of polymers

This study relates tablet formation with relaxation properties of two polymers on the basis of the stress-deformation curve. The mechanical properties of the polymers were varied by changing tableting temperature, adding varying amounts of plasticizer, and incorporating a monomer with plasticizer effect on the polymer chain. The crucial parameter appeared to be the difference between the glass transition temperature and the tableting temperature. This temperature difference was found to determine the amount of energy stored during densification. The energy is manifested as the stress relaxation propensity of the material. Large stress relaxation yields porous and consequently weak tablets. At a low temperature difference (i.e., tableting temperature is much lower than the glass transition temperature), the amount of stored energy is large. An increase in tableting temperature, or a decrease in glass transition temperature, yields a decrease in stored energy as a result of a decrease in yield strength. Consequently, production of less porous and stronger tablet is possible. However, if the tableting temperature is higher than the glass transition temperature, the stress relaxation propensity of the deformed polymers is extremely high because the elastic modulus of the materials is low under these circumstances. This results in porous and even capped tablets. From the data it is concluded that, independent of the type of polymer and the method of plasticizing, compaction at a temperature of about 20 K under the glass transition temperature yields circumstances for which the amount of stored energy has a minimum. Consequently, tablet porosity has a minimum and tablet strength has a maximum. These circumstances are created by changing both the tableting temperature and the glass transition temperature of the powder.