Impact of Non-Newtonian Drops on Pharmaceutical Tablet Surfaces

This study discusses the spreading of a non-Newtonian, power-law, film formed after a drop impinges on a flat surface (i.e., a pharmaceutical tablet). Non-Newtonian drop spreading is described by a model based on the one of Roisman et al. [2002]. The effects of variations in non-Newtonian liquid rheological parameters m (the consistency index) and n (the fluid behavior index) are shown to be significant. In either case, changes leading to a reduction in viscous forces result in enhanced spreading of the film, followed by more rapid recession. Both are expected. Of interest is the observation that an increase in consistency index can be compensated for by a reduction in flow behavior index since the sensitivity of film recession to a change in n is larger than that to variations in m.