Theoretical considerations of the influence of polymer film coatings on the mechanical strength of tablets.

A theoretical analysis of the influence of polymer film coatings on the mechanical strength of tablets has been undertaken. Making some basic assumptions, the theory predicts that neither the thickness of the substrate nor that of the coating has any influence on which fractures first, this being solely determined by the ratio of the tensile fracture strength to the Young's modulus for the two materials. Such a finding suggests that in practice for film-coated tablets the substrate will usually fracture before the coating. Simple measurements of maximum failure loads are of little value in assessing the influence of film coating on the mechanical strength of tablets.