PHYSICOCHEMICAL COMPARISON BETWEEN MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE AND SILICIFIED MICROCRYSTALLINE CELLULOSE

Silicified microcrystalline cellulose (SMCC) has been compared with a standard grade of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) using several physi cochemical techniques in order to elucidate any chemical or polymorphi c changes in the material that could be attributed to the silicificati on process. Samples of SMCC, MCC and dry and wet mixes of MCC and sili con dioxide were analysed using FT-IR, C-13 NMR, powder X-ray diffract ion, mercury porosimetry, helium pyonometry and scanning electron micr oscopy together with particle size analysis and deaggregation studies. Analysis of the data obtained from these methods suggested that there were no discernible chemical or polymorphic differences between the s amples, indicating that the 'silicification' process produces a materi al which is chemically and physically very similar to standard MCC. (C ) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.