Exploring surface energies and their impact in pharmaceutical crystals

Having the ability to link surface structure and energies to changes in surface properties such as adhesion, cohesion and wettability would allow for a more effective early particle risk assessment.

This project seeks to measure surface energies (inverse gas chromatography and contact angle measurements) in a number of pharmaceutical crystals (carbamazepine and paracetamol) and compare them to various computer simulations.

This analysis would enable a more effective highlight of particle property risks and devise and inform timely strategies for pharmaceutical particle development. This type of prediction is particularly valuable for formulation design and would lead to understanding of agglomeration, segregation and electrostatic charging of powder blends.