Particulate products make up around 80% of chemical products, from all industry sectors. Examples given in this book include the construction materials, fine ceramics and concrete; the delicacies, chocolate and ice cream; pharmaceutical, powders, medical inhalers and sun screen; liquid and powder paints. Size distribution and the shape of the particles provide for different functionalities in these products. Some functions are general, others specific. General functions are powder flow and require at the typical particulate concentrations of these products that the particles cause adequate rheological behavior during processing and/or for product performance. Therefore, this book addresses particle packing as well as its relation to powder flow and rheological behavior. Moreover, general relationships to particle size are discussed for e.g. color and sensorial aspects of particulate products. Product-specific functionalities are often relevant for comparable product groups. Particle size distribution and shape provide, for example, the following functionalities:

- dense particle packing in relation to sufficient strength is required in concrete construction, ceramic objects and pharmaceutical tablets

- good sensorial properties (mouthfeel) to chocolate and ice cream

- effective dissolution, flow and compression properties for pharmaceutical powders

- adequate hiding power and effective coloring of paints for protection and the desired esthetical appeal of the objects

- adequate protection of our body against sun light by sunscreen

- effective particle transport and deposition to desired locations for medical inhalers and powder paints.

Adequate particle size distribution, shape and porosity of particulate products have to be achieved in order to reach optimum product performance. This requires adequate management of design and development as well as sufficient knowledge of the underlying principles of physics and chemistry. Moreover, flammability, explosivity and other health hazards from powders, during handling, are taken into account. This is necessary, since great risks may be involved. In all aspects, the most relevant parameters of the size distribution (and particle shape) have to be selected.

In this book, experts in the different product fields have contributed to the product chapters. This provides optimum information on what particulate aspects are most relevant for behavior and performance within specified industrial products and how optimum results can be obtained. It differs from other books in the way that the critical aspects of different products are reported, so that similarities and differences can be identified. We trust that this approach will lead to improved optimization in design, development and quality of many particulate products."

Following my graduation in physical organic chemistry at the University of Amst- dam, I started to work at the Royal Dutch Shell Laboratories in Amsterdam. My first assignment was research in the field of detergents and industrial chemicals. It was followed by development work on thermal wax cracking for production of C - C 2 14 olefins and on acid-catalyzed synthesis of carboxylic acids from C - C olefins. 3 6 Then, I made a significant change to analytical chemistry, first at Shell's process development department and later in the chemical engineering department of Delft University of Technology. In both departments, there was a large variety of analy- cal techniques and development of new methods for automated analysis of small process streams. It was the time that gas chromatography conquered the world. In this field, a firm basis was given by Henk Boer, Arie Kwantes and Frits Zuiderweg at Shell Research Laboratories in Amsterdam, both for packed and for capillary c- umns. The potential of gas chromatography was huge and, therefore, also in Delft, its use increased enormously. Moreover, the growth of this technique was facilitated significantly by the rapidly developing electronics industry. It not only led to digital peak integrators and personal computers but also enabled complex measurement techniques. In addition, I became involved in surface area and porosity characteri- tion of catalysts and adsorbents, on which topic the research had been initiated by Prof. J. H. de Boer.

This edited volume brings together the expertise of numerous specialists on the topic of particles - their physical, chemical, pharmacological and toxicological characteristics - when they are a component of pharmaceutical products and formulations. The book discusses in detail properties such as the composition, size, shape, surface properties and porosity of particles with respect to how they impact the formulations and products in which they are used and the effective delivery of pharmaceutical active ingredients. It considers all dosage forms of pharmaceuticals involving particles, from powders to tablets, creams to ointments, and solutions to dry-powder inhalers, also including the latest nanomedicine products. Further, it discusses examples of particle toxicity, as well as the important subject of pharmaceutical industry regulations, guidelines and legislation. The book is of interest to researchers and practitioners who work on testing and developing pharmaceutical dosage and delivery systems.

Particulate products make up around 80% of chemical products, from all industry sectors. Examples given in this book include the construction materials, fine ceramics and concrete; the delicacies, chocolate and ice cream; pharmaceutical, powders, medical inhalers and sun screen; liquid and powder paints. Size distribution and the shape of the particles provide for different functionalities in these products. Some functions are general, others specific. General functions are powder flow and require - at the typical particulate concentrations of these products - that the particles cause adequate rheological behavior during processing and/or for product performance. Therefore, this book addresses particle packing as well as its relation to powder flow and rheological behavior. Moreover, general relationships to particle size are discussed for e.g. color and sensorial aspects of particulate products. Product-specific functionalities are often relevant for comparable product groups. Particle size distribution and shape provide, for example, the following functionalities: - dense particle packing in relation to sufficient strength is required in concrete construction, ceramic objects and pharmaceutical tablets - good sensorial properties (mouthfeel) to chocolate and ice cream - effective dissolution, flow and compression properties for pharmaceutical powders - adequate hiding power and effective coloring of paints for protection and the desired esthetical appeal of the objects - adequate protection of our body against sun light by sunscreen - effective particle transport and deposition to desired locations for medical inhalers and powder paints. Adequate particle size distribution, shape and porosity of particulate products have to be achieved in order to reach optimum product performance. This requires adequate management of design and development as well as sufficient knowledge of the underlying principles of physics and chemistry. Moreover, flammability, explosivity and other health hazards from powders, during handling, are taken into account. This is necessary, since great risks may be involved. In all aspects, the most relevant parameters of the size distribution (and particle shape) have to be selected. In this book, experts in the different product fields have contributed to the product chapters. This provides optimum information on what particulate aspects are most relevant for behavior and performance within specified industrial products and how optimum results can be obtained. It differs from other books in the way that the critical aspects of different products are reported, so that similarities and differences can be identified. We trust that this approach will lead to improved optimization in design, development and quality of many particulate products.

Following my graduation in physical organic chemistry at the University of Amst- dam, I started to work at the Royal Dutch Shell Laboratories in Amsterdam. My first assignment was research in the field of detergents and industrial chemicals. It was followed by development work on thermal wax cracking for production of C - C 2 14 olefins and on acid-catalyzed synthesis of carboxylic acids from C - C olefins. 3 6 Then, I made a significant change to analytical chemistry, first at Shell's process development department and later in the chemical engineering department of Delft University of Technology. In both departments, there was a large variety of analy- cal techniques and development of new methods for automated analysis of small process streams. It was the time that gas chromatography conquered the world. In this field, a firm basis was given by Henk Boer, Arie Kwantes and Frits Zuiderweg at Shell Research Laboratories in Amsterdam, both for packed and for capillary c- umns. The potential of gas chromatography was huge and, therefore, also in Delft, its use increased enormously. Moreover, the growth of this technique was facilitated significantly by the rapidly developing electronics industry. It not only led to digital peak integrators and personal computers but also enabled complex measurement techniques. In addition, I became involved in surface area and porosity characteri- tion of catalysts and adsorbents, on which topic the research had been initiated by Prof. J. H. de Boer.

This edited volume presents most techniques and methods that have been developed by material scientists, chemists, chemical engineers and physicists for the commercial production of particulate materials, ranging from the millimeter to the nanometer scale. The scope includes the physical and chemical background, experimental optimization of equipment and procedures, as well as an outlook on future methods. The books addresses issues of industrial importance such as specifications, control parameter(s), control strategy, process models, energy consumption and discusses the various techniques in relation to potential applications. In addition to the production processes, all major unit operations and characterization methods are described in this book. It differs from other books which are devoted to a single technique or a single material. Contributors to this book are acknowledged experts in their field. The aim of the book is to facilitate comparison of the different unit operations leading to optimum equipment choices for the production, handling and storage of particulate materials. An advantage of this approach is that unit operations that are common in one field of application are made accessible to other fields. The overall focus is on industrial application and the book includes some concrete examples. The book is an essential resource for students or researchers who work in collaboration with manufacturing industries or who are planning to make the switch from academia to industry.