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NETZSCH
Illustration 1: Development of the particle size distribution obtained during a grinding test in a laboratory bead.2 of 2
Image courtesy of NETZSCH.
Illustration 2: Results of the scale-up from a laboratory agitator bead mill to a production-size mill.The comminution or deagglomeration of APIs is called micronisation. Nanonisation is a term for reducing particle size to the nanometer range and brings about several advantages. It further increases the surface area of APIs that could result in enhanced solubility and drug bioavailability.
The NETZSCH Grinding & Dispersing business unit offers equipment for all process engineering tasks in the fields mixing, dispersing, deaeration, wet and dry grinding and classifying. Besides the machine design, there are other essential conditions for the successful comminution or dispersion of solids. These is the right formulation of the product suspension as well as the selection of the best grinding media and the optimal operating parameters of the mill.
The development of the formulation and the optimisation of the operating parameters can be conducted in laboratory mills. In particular, when it comes to the selection of the operating parameters of the mill, NETZSCH-Feinmahltechnik can revert to a pool of experience of more than six decades. Illustration 1 shows the development of the particles size distribution of APIs during a grinding test on a laboratory bead mill. The customer aimed at a close particle size distribution with x 99,3 <400 nm. Moreover, the parameters had to be optimised to ensure that the product suspension would not exceed a defined maximal temperature during the comminution process.
Once the operating parameters have been optimised, the results can be transferred to production-size mills. An essential parameter for the scale-up is the specific energy input, which states the energy input with reference to the product quantity produced. Illustration 2 shows the results of the scale-up from a laboratory agitator bead mill to a production-size mill. The illustration clearly shows that the results of the laboratory test can be exactly transferred to the production-size plant.
NETZSCH will be exhibiting at POWTECH 2013, Hall 4a, Stand 223.
NETZSCH-Feinmahltechnik GmbH, NETZSCH Grinding & Dispersing, www.netzsch-grinding.com/pharma.