Cellulose Composition for Tablet Hardness and Oral Disintegration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cellulose compositions used in orally disintegrating tablets lack sufficient storage stability and disintegration properties, particularly in maintaining tablet hardness and preventing core residue formation.

Innovation Solution

A cellulose composition containing cellulose, glucose, and sorbitol, with specific content ranges of these components, enhances disintegration properties and storage stability by controlling water absorption and particle size, ensuring improved moldability and handleability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional cellulose powder is used to prepare orally disintegrating tablets, then the tablets can disintegrate in the oral cavity, but the storage stability and tablet hardness are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage stabilityVSAvoidtablet hardness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the degree of polymerization (100-350), particle size (30-250 μm), and apparent specific volume (2-15 cm³/g) of cellulose powder. These parameter optimizations resolve the contradiction by enabling the cellulose to provide both adequate tablet hardness for storage stability and sufficient porosity for rapid disintegration in the oral cavity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material system by blending cellulose powder with specific additives including starch (5-20 parts), sugar alcohol (10-30 parts), and disintegrants (1-10 parts) per 100 parts of cellulose. This composite formulation resolves the contradiction between hardness and disintegration by combining materials with complementary properties.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Loss of time

If cellulose powder with high porosity is used to achieve rapid disintegration, then disintegration time is shortened, but tablet hardness decreases and tablets crack or wear during production and distribution

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisintegration timeVSAvoidtablet hardness
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the apparent specific volume parameter to a balanced range of 2-15 cm³/g, avoiding both excessive porosity (which would cause hardness loss) and insufficient porosity (which would prolong disintegration time). This parameter control resolves the contradiction between rapid disintegration and adequate hardness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by creating a hierarchical pore structure within tablets where macro-pores facilitate rapid water penetration and disintegration, while micro-pores and denser regions maintain structural integrity. This localized structural differentiation resolves the contradiction between fast disintegration and sufficient hardness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If pure cellulose powder is used, then compression moldability is improved, but disintegration properties and storage stability are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompression moldabilityVSAvoiddisintegration properties
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite material system by blending cellulose powder with specific additives including starch (5-20 parts), sugar alcohol (10-30 parts), and disintegrants (1-10 parts) per 100 parts of cellulose. This composite formulation resolves the contradiction by combining materials with complementary properties while maintaining compression moldability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes cellulose powder multi-functional by selecting varieties that simultaneously provide compression moldability, disintegration properties, and storage stability. The cellulose serves multiple functions: as a binder for compression, as a porosity provider for disintegration, and as a structural framework for storage stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The cellulose composition achieves tablets with excellent storage stability and disintegration properties, reducing core residue and improving tablet hardness, while maintaining favorable disintegration times.

Implementation Method 1

a water absorption rate is 2.0 g2/s or more and 9.0 g2/s or less

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

controlling water absorption

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOsmosis: Osmosis

Data Source

PatentUS12427113B2Cellulose composition, tablet, and orally disintegrating tablet
Publication Date: 2025.09.30 ASAHI KASEI KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA

AI summary

A cellulose composition containing cellulose, glucose and sorbitol, wherein a total content of glucose and sorbitol is 0.7 mg or more and 4.0 mg or less per 5 g of the cellulose composition. A tablet contains the cellulose composition. An orally disintegrating tablet contains the cellulose composition.