Pharmacy Milling and Mixing Processes

The process of reducing the size of particles in a solid material. It can also be called grinding, comminution, or particle size reduction.

The rate at which a solid substance dissolves in a liquid.

The amount of surface area of a material exposed to its surroundings per unit of weight or volume.

The size of a particle as measured in air, considering its shape and ability to move through the air.

A type of medication that is applied to the skin.

A medication that is inhaled into the lungs.

A drug that is not easily dissolved in liquids.

The active ingredient in a medication.

A force applied perpendicular to the surface of a particle, causing it to break apart. Think of hitting a rock with a hammer.

A force applied slowly in a direction towards the center of a particle, causing it to break apart. Think of crushing a can with your hand.

A force applied in a direction parallel to the surface of a particle, causing it to break apart. Think of using a knife to cut through a piece of paper.

A type of shear stress where particles rub against each other, causing them to break apart. Think of sand being rubbed between your hands.

A force applied away from the center of a particle, trying to pull it apart. Think of pulling a piece of string until it breaks.

A grinding process where particles are free to move and collide individually.

A grinding process where particles are packed together and crushed collectively.

A process where a solid material is reduced in size by suspending it in a liquid.

A concentrated suspension of solid material in a liquid.

A process where solid particles are reduced in size by applying mechanical force.

A type of solid material that is easily deformed.

A type of solid material that is hard and easily breaks.

A process where a mixture separates into its individual components.

A measure of the resistance of a material to deformation.

The energy applied during reversible deformation before a material reaches its yield point is released as heat. This is particularly relevant for materials that are sensitive to temperature changes, as excessive heat can damage them.

In a grinding process, the force applied to break down a material often generates heat. This heat can be detrimental to thermo-sensitive materials, which are easily affected by temperature.

Materials can be broadly classified into two categories based on their behavior under stress: ductile and brittle. Ductile materials experience significant plastic deformation before fracturing, while brittle materials break with little to no deformation.

In size reduction of materials, fractures often start at pre-existing flaws or cracks within the material. Stress concentrates around these flaws, making them the primary points of failure.

The initial size reduction is the easiest because the material breaks along existing flaws. As the grinding progresses, these flaws are consumed, making further size reduction more difficult.

Most materials contain imperfections such as natural cracks or flaws. These imperfections weaken the material, making it easier to break down during size reduction.

The process of size reduction relies on these naturally present cracks or flaws. As grinding progresses, these flaws act as points of weakness, allowing the material to break into smaller particles.

Fracture propagation occurs along existing flaw lines, leading to the disintegration of a single particle into smaller ones. This process continues with the smaller particles until the desired size is achieved.

A process where particles of different sizes or densities separate within a mixture, resulting in an uneven distribution of components.

A type of mixing where groups of particles or molecules move together from one area to another.

A type of mixing where individual particles or molecules spread out and move independently throughout the mixture.

A blend of components where each individual particle is surrounded by particles of the other component, leading to a uniform distribution.

A type of mixing where two regions of the mixture slide past each other, creating a shearing force that helps to mix the components.

A blend of components where the probability of finding a specific particle at any point is equal to its proportion in the mixture.

A process of breaking down solid particles by applying a force to cause them to split or fragment.

The consistency of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and excipients throughout the formulation, ensuring uniform drug delivery.

Substances other than the active ingredient (API) used in a pharmaceutical formulation to help with processing, stability, or delivery.

The process of combining ingredients to promote physical or chemical reactions, like crystallization or dissolution.