Influence of Tablet Hardness and Hydrophobicity on the Adhesive Properties of an Acrylic Resin Copolymer

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Abstract
The adhesive properties—including the force of adhesion, elongation at adhesive failure, the modulus of adhesion, and the adhesive toughness—of an acrylic resin copolymer were determined using the butt adhesion technique. Flat-faced tablets containing up to 30% hydrogenated castor oil were coated with an aqueous dispersion of Eudragit® L30D-55. Using data obtained from a Chatillon digital force gauge attached to a motorized test stand, force-deflection profiles, similar to stress-strain curves generated in the tensile testing of free films, were constructed. The surface characteristics of the tablets significantly influenced polymer-substrate interaction. The force of adhesion, the elongation at adhesive failure, and the adhesive toughness decreased as the surface of the tablet became more hydrophobic through the addition of wax to the tablet formulation. Lower adhesive properties were found with increasing tablet hardness, due to a decrease in the effective area of contact between the film coating and the tablet surface. Increased polymer loading resulted in stronger adhesion, indicating a relationship between the mechanical and adhesive properties of the polymer. The present study demonstrated that the area under the force-deflection profile in conjunction with the force of adhesion was more representative of the adhesive properties of the polymer.