<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Nanoindentation allows quantitative determination of a material’s response to stress such as elastic and plastic deformation or fracture tendency. Key instruments that have enabled great advances in nanomechanical studies are the instrumented nanoindenter and atomic force microscopy. The versatility of these instruments lies in their capability to measure local mechanical response, in very small volumes and depths, while monitoring time, displacement and force with high accuracy and precision.</p><p>This review highlights the application of nanoindentation for mechanical characterization of pharmaceutical materials in the preformulation phase (primary investigation of crystalline active ingredients and excipients). With nanoindentation, mechanical response can be assessed with respect to crystal structure. The technique is valuable for mechanical screening of a material at an early development phase in order to predict and better control the processes in which a material is exposed to stress such as milling and compression.</p></abstract>

Nanoindentation allows quantitative determination of a material’s response to stress such as elastic and plastic deformation or fracture tendency. Key instruments that have enabled great advances in nanomechanical studies are the instrumented nanoindenter and atomic force microscopy. The versatility of these instruments lies in their capability to measure local mechanical response, in very small volumes and depths, while monitoring time, displacement and force with high accuracy and precision.This review highlights the application of nanoindentation for mechanical characterization of pharmaceutical materials in the preformulation phase (primary investigation of crystalline active ingredients and excipients). With nanoindentation, mechanical response can be assessed with respect to crystal structure. The technique is valuable for mechanical screening of a material at an early development phase in order to predict and better control the processes in which a material is exposed to stress such as milling and compression.

Application of instrumented nanoindentation in preformulation studies of pharmaceutical active ingredients and excipients

Faculty of Pharmacy University of Ljubljana 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Acta Pharmaceutica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Nanoindentation allows quantitative determination of a material’s response to stress such as elastic and plastic deformation or fracture tendency. Key...

Application of instrumented nanoindentation in preformulation studies of pharmaceutical active ingredients and excipients

Published Online: Jun 29, 2016

Page range: 303 - 330

Accepted: Jan 11, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/acph-2016-0032

Keywords
instrumented nanoindentation, mechanical properties, Young’s modulus, indentation hardness, fracture toughness, crystalline active ingredients and excipients

© by Biljana Janković

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Application of instrumented nanoindentation in preformulation studies of pharmaceutical active ingredients and excipients

Published Online: Jun 29, 2016

Page range: 303 - 330

Accepted: Jan 11, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/acph-2016-0032

Keywordsinstrumented nanoindentation, mechanical properties, Young’s modulus, indentation hardness, fracture toughness, crystalline active ingredients and excipients

© by Biljana Janković

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
instrumented nanoindentation, mechanical properties, Young’s modulus, indentation hardness, fracture toughness, crystalline active ingredients and excipients