Effect of Compression Speed on the Tensile Strength of Tablets of Binary Mixtures Containing Aspirin

Abstract
Mixtures of aspirin with sodium chloride, sucrose, Starch 1500 or Emcompress have been compressed to two maximum upper punch pressures at two compression speeds. Non-linear relationships between tensile strength and composition, and tablet porosity and composition were found in all cases. Tablets of the individual materials compressed at fast speed showed either little change or a reduction in tensile strength when compared with those compressed at slow speed. For mixtures of aspirin with Starch 1500, tablets compressed at fast speed were weaker and more porous than those compressed at slow speed. However, some mixtures of aspirin with sodium chloride, sucrose or Emcompress gave tablets with greater tensile strength and lower porosity when prepared at fast compression speed compared with tablets prepared at slow speed. This behaviour was attributed to the modification of the consolidation behaviour of the aspirin by the second material.