The effect of cores and coating dispersion composition on the mechanical and adhesion properties of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose films

The influence of different additives on the mechanical properties of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) free films was studied using tensile testing. Free films were prepared using the cast method and sliced into bands, and their tensile strength and maximal elongation at break was measured. The results showed that the addition of PEG 400 and polysorbate 80 into the coating formulation had the most influence on the films' mechanical properties compared to the HPMC film used as a control. Tablet cores composed of microcrystalline cellulose and lactose with and without Mg stearate and compressed at three different compression forces were tested for wettability with coating formulations containing PEG 400 and polysorbate 80. For formulations with no Mg stearate added, the contact angle decreased with increasing core hardness and it also coincided with greater adhesion force of the coating. The addition of Mg stearate in the core led to reduced adhesion of the film coating with PEG 400, whereas the influence on the adhesion force of the film coating containing polysorbate 80 was negligible. The results also show that the adhesion force, regardless of the tablet core formulation, is highest at medium core hardness.