COMPRESSION OF LACTOSE, GLUCOSE AND MANNITOL GRANULES

The effect of the amount of granulation liquid, compression speed and maximum compression force on the compressibility and compactibility of lactose, glucose and mannitol granules was studied. The porosity base d on the geometrical shape and the uniformity of weight of tablets was also studied. Lactose and mannitol granules showed a greater compress ibility than glucose granules. Mannitol granules produced the hardest tablets and lactose and glucose the weakest. The change in the amount of granulation liquid caused changes both in the granule porosity and in the amount of binder; this was attributed to differences in tablet strength. All parameters studied were relatively insensitive to changi ng speeds of compression in the range used, except for the breaking fo rce of mannitol tablets, which was greatest with the lowest speed of c ompression. All granule masses showed a relatively good continuous how suitable for tablet production. Tablets compressed from lactose granu les had the best uniformity of weight of the tablets studied.