Exploring the Benefits of Wet Milling Pharmaceutical Powders Prior to Drying

Here are some of the process advantages of wet milling pharmaceutical powders; 

> During processing, any lumps are reduced to smaller particles with a narrow particle size distribution (PSD). This therefore increases the surface area of the product, to improve the evaporating process and thus, reduces the overall drying time. 

> The process of wet milling prevents case hardening. This is an undesirable scenario where the surface on the outside of a lump or particle dries quicker than the inside and seals in unwanted moisture. Because case hardening is prevented in wet milling, this results in a more consistent drying process. 

> As wet milling undertakes particle sizing sooner in the process, the final particle size reduction after drying does not need to be as aggressive. It also often means that the PSD is even more uniform, further improving powder flow and the quality of the final product. 

> The method of wet milling is also ideal when an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) or excipient is heat-sensitive and cannot be subjected to higher temperatures.

In conclusion, wet milling produces a uniform particle size in addition to increasing the surface area of a material. This leads to a quicker drying process and also benefits the quality of the finished product.