Effect of compression temperature on the consolidation mechanism of chlorpropamide polymorphs.

The effect of environmental temperature on the compression mechanism of chlorpropamide (CPM) polymorph, forms A and C, was investigated with an eccentric type tabletting machine with two load cells and a noncontact displacement transducer. The temperature of the die was controlled at 0 and 45 degrees C by a thermocontroller. Sample powders (200 mg), which were also controlled at 0 and 45 degrees C by a thermocontroller, were compressed at almost 230 MPa. The tabletting dynamic processes of CPM forms A and C at 0 and 45 degrees C were evaluated by Cooper and modified Heckel analyses. The results suggest that particle brittleness or plasticity was affected by compression at different temperatures. The higher tablet hardness of form A at 45 degrees C was thought to be caused by the increased plasticity of primary particles, whereas that of form C at 45 degrees C was ascribed to the decreased size of the secondary particles.