Effect of slugging pressure on the properties of granules and tablets prepared from potassium phenethicillin.

The mechanism of preparing compacts by precompression has been investigated. The influence of slugging pressure on the bulk and tapped density, particle size distribution and the surface area of precompressed granules has been examined. The slugged granules have been tableted and the effect of compaction force on the weight uniformity, friability, crushing strength, disintegration time, dissolution rate and internal surface area of the tablets has been studied. The results show that the granules obtained from 15.9 mm slugs manufactured at low compaction forces (e.g. 49 MNm-2) had a lower bulk density, higher friability and larger surface area than those made at higher compaction pressures (e.g. 196 MNm-2). The lighter granules compacted into stronger tablets over a range of compaction forces and the effect was attributed to greater intergranular bonding caused by increased plastic flow.