About The Event

The final piece of the 9-part webinar series dedicated to advanced characterization of small molecule pharmaceuticals is demonstrating how combination of several analytical techniques can bring material properties understanding to a new level. Powder flowability and processability are influenced by both intrinsic particle properties and external factors, including stress conditions and strain rate. Our powder rheometry expert Katrina Brockbank will present a case study, which examines two critical powder characteristics, particle size distribution and particle shape, through the evaluation of different pharmaceutical grades of lactose. Using powder rheology, the study quantifies how variations in these properties affect powder behaviour under a range of stress and flow conditions. While the influence of mean particle size on powder flow is well understood, the impact of particle size distribution is less widely studied, particularly when considered alongside particle shape. Both size distribution and shape influence particle packing efficiency and the nature of interparticle contacts, which in turn affect cohesive and frictional interactions within the powder bed. By combining complementary characterisation techniques, including laser diffraction, particle morphology analysis, and powder rheology, this webinar explores how particle size and shape influence powder flowability across a range of processing conditions. While particle size and shape alone may not always be sufficient to accurately predict powder flow behaviour, they can provide valuable insight into the mechanisms governing flow and help explain differences in performance between seemingly similar materials.