Application of instrumented nanoindentation in preformulation studies of pharmaceutical active ingredients and excipients

Abstract

Nanoindentation allows quantitative determination of a material’s response to stress such as elastic and plastic deformation or fracture tendency. Key instruments that have enabled great advances in nanomechanical studies are the instrumented nanoindenter and atomic force microscopy. The versatility of these instruments lies in their capability to measure local mechanical response, in very small volumes and depths, while monitoring time, displacement and force with high accuracy and precision.

Keywords

• instrumented nanoindentation
• mechanical properties
• young’s modulus
• indentation hardness
• fracture toughness
• crystalline active ingredients and excipients