Developing methodology to evaluate the oral sensory features of pharmaceutical tablet coatings

Acceptability of medicines is critical for effective pharmacotherapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the oral sensory properties of tablet coatings to determine how mouthfeel can improve acceptability. A randomised double-blind study was performed in 84 adult volunteers (51% ≥55 years). Each participant received 4 placebo tablets (3 coated and 1 uncoated) to evaluate (i) ease of swallowing and (ii) palatability. Visual analogue scales (VAS) were used to capture sensory parameters. Acceptability was assessed using the following parameters: ease of swallowing; amount of water taken with the tablet; rank order of preference; roughness; adhesiveness and slipperiness. Ease of swallowing was determined to be the most sensitive measure of acceptance. The best coating was the one that was reported to be the most slippery and smooth. The presence of a coating improved ease of swallowing, mouthfeel and overall palatability. This study demonstrates that slippery coatings improve acceptability of tablets. The study also demonstrates the value of VAS to measure the sensory attributes of coated tablets

Single-Polymer Composites (SPCs) : Status and Future Trends

Preparation, properties and applications of single-polymer composites (SPCs), representing an emerging family within the polymeric composite materials, have been surveyed. SPCs were classified in respect to their composition (one- and two-constituents), and preforms (non-consolidated and consolidated). SPCs composed of amorphous or semicrystalline matrices and semicrystalline reinforcements were considered. Methods to widen the temperature difference between the matrix- and reinforcement-giving materials of the same polymer (one-constituent) or same polymer type (two-constituent approach) have been introduced and discussed. Special attention was paid to the unsolved questions related to the interface/interphase in SPCs. It was emphasized that the development of SPCs is fuelled by the need of engineering parts in different applications which have low density and “ultimate” recyclability (i.e. reprocessing via remelting). Recent development of SPCs is supported by novel preform preparation, consolidation and production possibilities

On the morphology of advanced polymer-fibres and their composites

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN018988 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Technology and development of self-reinforced polymer composites

In recent years there has been an increasing amount of interest, both commercially and scientifically, in the emerging field of "self-reinforced polymer composites". These materials, which are sometimes also referred to as "single polymer composites", or "all-polymer composites", were first conceived in the 1970s, and are now beginning to appear in a range of commercial products. While high mechanical performance polymer fibres or tapes are an obvious precursor for composite development, various different technologies have been developed to consolidate these into two- or three-dimensional structures. This paper presents a review of the various processing techniques that have been reported in the literature for the manufacture of self-reinforced polymer composites from fibres or tapes of different polymers, and so exploit the fibre or tape performance in a commercial material or product