Micro tablet compaction

The micro-ATR FT-IR imaging approach is readily applicable to study compacted tablets. The contact area of the ATR crystal is circular with a diameter in the region of 100 pm. This area is small enough to easily establish a homogeneous and intimate contact between the ATR crystal and the tablet. To prove this concept, a model tablet, composed of about 3 wt% caffeine in a matrix of starch HPMC of 4 6, was compacted and imaged using the micro-ATR method and the result is shown in Figure 9.10. 

---