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Unit 2 Rheology

Rheology is the study of the flow and deformation properties of matter. It addresses the viscosity characteristics of powders, fluids, and semisolids. Rheology is important in pharmacy for manufacturing dosage forms like syrups, gels, ointments and creams which change viscosity under stress. Fluids can be Newtonian, following Newton's law of viscosity, or non-Newtonian. Properties like thixotropy and dilatancy also impact rheological behavior and applications in pharmaceutical dosage forms and drug delivery.

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54 views

Unit 2 Rheology

Rheology is the study of the flow and deformation properties of matter. It addresses the viscosity characteristics of powders, fluids, and semisolids. Rheology is important in pharmacy for manufacturing dosage forms like syrups, gels, ointments and creams which change viscosity under stress. Fluids can be Newtonian, following Newton's law of viscosity, or non-Newtonian. Properties like thixotropy and dilatancy also impact rheological behavior and applications in pharmaceutical dosage forms and drug delivery.

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Mutale Inonge
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Rheology

Ms. J. Zulu
Introduction
• Rheology is the study of the flow and deformation properties of
matter
• The term was invented by Bingham and formally adopted in 1929
• It addresses the viscosity characteristics of powders, fluids, and
semisolids
• It was initially applied as a means of merely characterizing and
classifying fluids and semisolids
• E.g. long standing use of a viscosity standard used to control
substances such as liquid paraffin
Introduction
• Rheology is a greek word
• Rheo means flow
• Logia means study of
• Rheology is important for pharmacists in the manufacture of several
dosage forms like simple syrups, gels, ointments, creams
• These systems change their flow behaviours when exposed to to
different stress conditions
Important Terms
• Shear: Movement of material relative to parallel layer (F)
• Shear stress: force per unit area to bring about flow of material (F/A)
• Shear Rate (S): difference in velocity (dv) between two planes of
liquids separated by distance (dr), therefore =dv/dr
• Shear force: is directly proportional to shear rate

F/A dv/dr
Fundamentals of Rheology
1. Manufacture of dosage forms
• Materials undergo processes like mixing, flowing through pipes, filling
in containers, etc during manufacturing process
• Flow related changes influence the selection of mixing equipment

2. Handling of drugs
• Syringing of medicines, pouring of liquids from containers, extrusion
of ointments/pastes from tubes depend on the changes in flow
behavior of the dosage form
Importance of Rheology
• Importance of understanding flow properties has increased with time
alongside reliance on dissolution testing
• Formulation of liquid/semisolid medicines and cosmetics depends on how
well they will be able to flow
• Furthermore, properties of semisolids and biological materials have
produced useful correlations with bioavailability, physical stability,
absorption rate and function of medicines
• The viscosity of a fluid may be described simply as its resistance to flow or
movement
• Elasticity refers to the ability of an object or material to resume its normal
shape after being stretched or compressed; stretchiness
Importance of Rheology
• In pharmacy, rheology is essential in
1. Preparation
2. Development
3. Evaluation and
4. Performance of pharmaceutical dosage forms

Thus understanding rheological behaviour and techniques of


measurement, as well as application to pharmaceutical dosage
formulation is important
Viscosity
• Defined as resistance to the flow of liquids and semi liquids
• According to the Arrhenius equation, increase in temperature leads to
reduction in viscosity and;
• Decrease in temperature leads to increase in viscosity
• Formula for viscosity is;
Kinematic/Dynamic Viscosity
• Kinematic Viscosity is the measure of a fluid's internal resistance to
flow under gravitational forces, it is also the ratio of dynamic viscosity
to density of that fluid
• Dynamic Viscosity is the measure of fluids' resistance to shear flow
when external force is applied
• Using Dynamic Viscosity, Kinematic Viscosity can be caculated
Formular Dynamic Viscosity
Formular for Kinematic Viscosity
Fluidity
• Defined as the measure of the ability of a substance to flow, it is the
opposite of viscosity
• Substances which show fluidity are called fluids
• Particles in a liquid and gas are far apart and hence move freely
compared to those in semi solid or solid form
• Increase in viscosity leads to reduction in fluidity
• Decrease in viscosity leads to increase in fluidity
Flow of fluids
• There are two types of flow of liquids
1. Newtonian and
2. Non Newtonian fluids
• Sir Isaac Newton was the first scientist to study the flow properties of
fluids
• Egs of these fluids are simple organic liquids, true solutions, water,
dilute syrups and emulsions
• Fluids that follow the newton's law are know as Newtonian fluids
Newton's law
• States that the higher the viscosity of a liquid, the greater the force
(shearing stress F)per unit area required to produce a certain rate of
shear (G)
• Also states that the shear is directly proportional to stress

F G

F = Viscosity X G (F = Newton/m2)
Newtonian Flow
• A Newtonian fluid is one whose shear stress verses shear rate creates
a straight line and passes through the origin
• The constant proportionality is known as the viscosity
• Egs water, chloroform, castor oil, ethyl alcohol, etc
Newtonian Flow
Non Newtonian Flow
Non Newtonian Flow
Thixotropy, antithixotropy and Rheopexy
• Thixotropy is a property of some non newton pseudoplastic fluid to
show a time dependant change in viscosity
• Viscosity decreases as the shear stress increases and increases when
shear stress is reduced (eg; gel to sol to gel, for example acacia,
gum solution)
• Antithixotropy is the opposite of Thixotropy (eg sol … to … gel … to
solution, for example milk of magnesia, magnesium magma)
• Rheopexy is the change from solid …. to …. gel ….to ….solid, for
example clay suspension (applicable in mechanics)
Rheograms for Thixotropy, antithixotropy and
Rheopexy
Dilatancy
• Certain suspensions with high percentage of dispersed solids exhibit
an in resistance to flow with increasing shear stress
• Such systems actually increase in volume when sheared and are
called dilatants
• Dilatants are called shear stress thickening systems, when shear
stress is removed they become fluid and are able to flow again
• Egs are deflocculated suspensions containing 50% solid content
• These systems show pastry consistency and can be processed by high
speed mixtures, blenders, or millers
• Sheer thinning systems become less dense or decrease in viscosity
once shear rate increases
Boundery Layer and turbulent flow
• A boundary layer is the thin layer of fluid in the immediate area of a
surface formed by the fluid flowing along the surface
• When a fluid passes through a solid walled tube, the fluid particles
adhere to the boundery wall and assumes the velocity of the
boundery wall-which is usually zero
• This means that the velocity of the fluid close to the boundery will be
the same as the boundery, hence will be slowed and create some
resistance
• Further away from the boundery wall, the velocity of the fluid will be
higher and as a result of this variant in velocity a velocity gradient will
exist causing a turbulent flow
Instruments in Rheology
Application of Rheology
• Viscosity of pharmaceutical preparations may affect
1. Rate of absorption of many products such as; creams, lotions, etc
2. Release of active ingredients
3. Absorption of active pharmaceutical ingredients
4. Thixotropy is very useful in formulation of certain products
5. Easy pourability of medication is very important to give correct
quantities with correct doses
References
1. Aulton M (2005), 7th Edition. Pharmaceutics, The Science of Dosage
Form Design, Churchill Livingstone Press. ISBN: 0-443-05550-5
2. Loyd V. Allen, Nicholas G. Popovich, Howard C. Ansel, (2005),
Ansel’s Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms and Drug Delivery Systems,
Lippincolt Williams & Wilkins
3. Shayne CG (2008). Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Handbook, John-
Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 978-0-470-25958-0.

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