Effect of particle size distribution on flowability of granulated lactose

The flowability of powders used in tableting significantly affects tablet weight and content uniformity of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Use of granulated materials instead of powdered materials can improve flowability. In this study, the effect of particle size distribution on flowability of granulated lactose was quantitatively analyzed. Three types of granulated lactose were classified into progressively narrower size fractions, and nine samples were systematically prepared. The mass median diameters were nearly constant (i.e., 130.5 ± 13.5 μm) and the geometric standard deviations ranged from 1.29 to 2.04. Two flow properties (angle of repose and compressibility) were measured. The correlations between flow properties and the particle size distributions were analyzed, and the coefficients of determination were obtained for different particle diameters and cumulative mass fractions. The optimal conditions to maximize the coefficients of determination were defined. Furthermore, static and dynamic friction properties were evaluated, and their correlations with particle size distribution were calculated.