Process and apparatus for forming agglomerates of a powder composition of an active and binder
A process and apparatus for forming agglomerates of a powder composition of an active and binder such as a homopolymer or copolymer which includes passing the composition through a hot roller compactor to heat said binder material above its glass transition temperature.
1. A process of forming agglomerates of an active and a binder comprising:
providing a powder composition comprising an active and a binder at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the binder;
precompacting and deaerating the powder composition; and
passing said powder composition through a hot roller compactor to heat the binder to a temperature above its glass transition temperature thereby forming agglomerates of the composition.
2. A process according to claim 1 which also includes the steps of milling said agglomerates into granules, and thereafter compressing the granules into tablets or filling the granules into capsules.
3. A process according to claim 1 wherein said active is a pharmaceutical, nutritional or cosmetic material.
4. A process according to claim 3 wherein said active is a poorly compressible or moisture sensitive active.
5. A process according to claim 1 wherein said polymer is a copolymer of vinyl pyrrolidone or a plasticized copolymer of vinyl pyrrolidone.
6. A process according to claim 1 wherein said binder is present in an amount of about 1% to 20% by weight of the composition.
7. A process according to claim 6 wherein said binder is present in an amount of about 5% to 15% by weight of the composition.
8. A process according to claim 1 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone, copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone, plasticized polymers thereof, and mixtures thereof.
9. A process of forming agglomerates of an active and a binder comprising:
providing a powder composition comprising an active and a binder at a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the binder;
preheating the powder composition; and
passing said powder composition through a hot roller compactor to heat the binder to a temperature above its glass transition temperature thereby forming agglomerates of the composition.
10. A process according to claim 9 further comprising milling said agglomerates into granules.
11. A process according to claim 9 further comprising precompacting and deaerating the powder composition before passing the composition through the hot roller compactor.
12. A process according to claim 9 wherein said binder comprises a copolymer of vinyl pyrrolidone or a plasticized copolymer of vinyl pyrrolidone.
13. A process according to claim 9 wherein said binder is present in an amount of about 1% to 20% by weight of the composition.
14. A process according to claim 13 wherein the binder is present in an amount of about 5% to 15% by weight of the composition.
15. A process according to claim 14 wherein said binder comprises a copolymer of vinyl pyrrolidone or a plasticized copolymer of vinyl pyrrolidone.
16. A process according to claim 9 wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone, copolymers of vinyl pyrrolidone, plasticized polymers thereof, and mixtures thereof.
17. A process according to claim 9 wherein the active is a pharmaceutical, nutritional or cosmetic material.