Specialty Minerals Inc. (SMI) manufactures USP talcs for pharmaceutical and nutritional supplement tablet production. The platy nature of talc, the slipperiness that results from its crystalline structure, its softness and hydrophobicity all contribute to its performance as a glidant and lubricant in tableting.

Talc As A Tablet Glidant and Lubricant
The SMI Healthcare Laboratory carried out a study of the performance of different SMI talcs as glidants (to help powder flow to the tablet die) and lubricants (to ease the ejection of the tablet from the die). Talcs of different particle sizes, made from two types of talcs, were added at a 5 percent level to a spray-dried lactose monohydrate, and the flow properties of the blends were then measured. Next, they were blended into a compression tablet mixture based on dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate and the lactose, and then tableted. The results were presented at a Poster Session at the 2004 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists Annual Meeting.

The conclusions of the study were:

• The effectiveness of talc glidant activity is dependent upon particle size compatibility between the talc and the other powders in the formulation.
• Talc lubricant efficiency in plastic deforming binders/fillers increases with decreasing talc particle size and increasing talc surface area.
• Very large talcs that greatly improve powder flow may not allow the formation of tablets at all.
• Talc improves direct-compression tablet-formulation disintegration behavior, which is independent of particle size.
• Talc can be used effectively in combination with magnesium stearate to restore disintegration and dissolution properties impaired by magnesium stearate.
• Talcs around 2.5 microns in size gave the best overall performance in tableting.

Click here to download a set of PowerPoint slides with the details of materials, methods, and tableting results, including compression and ejection profiles.

Specialty Minerals Talcs For Tablet Glidants and Lubricants
Talcs typically used as both lubricant and glidant are 2 to 3 micron fine talcs. SMI has two such talc products, Microtalc^® MP 15-38 USP talc, which is 2.0 microns, and UltraTalc^® 5000 USP talc, which is 2.5 microns in size.

 

Learn more: 

• Specialty Minerals talcs for nutritional supplement and pharmaceutical tablet manufacture
  
  
• SMI minerals in nutritional supplement tablets – swallowable, chewable and effervescent
• SMI minerals in antacid and pharmaceutical tablets – swallowable, chewable and effervescent
  
  
• SMI minerals used in consumer products See the products you use every day—foods, nutritional supplements, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, toiletries and other personal-care items—that use Specialty Minerals talcs and calcium carbonates.
  
  
• Download technical data sheets for Specialty Minerals products
  
  
• What is Talc?
  
• About Specialty Minerals Inc.