Micronization of drug particles via RESS process

The rapid expansion of a supercritical solution (RESS) process is an attractive technology for the production of small, uniform and solvent-free particles of low vapour pressure solutes. The RESS containing a nonvolatile solute leads to the loss of solvent power by the fast expansion of the supercritical solution through an adequate nozzle, which can cause solute precipitation. The nozzle configuration plays an important role in RESS method and has a great effect on the size and morphology of the precipitated particles. In this study, ibuprofen was used as a simple test. In addition, besides the nozzle configuration, the effect of other parameters including extraction pressure (140-220 bar), extraction temperature (313-333 K), spraying distance (1-10 cm) and pre-expansion temperature (363-423 K) was investigated on the size and morphology of the precipitated particles of mefenamic acid. The SEM images also show that the precipitated particles of ibuprofen and mefenamic acid had a slight modification in morphology. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.