Crystallization is the spontaneous arrangement of the particles into a repetitive orderly array, i.e., regular geometric patterns. Crystallization differs from precipitation in that the product is deposited from a supersaturated solution. Precipitation occurs when solutions of materials react chemically to form a product, which is sparingly soluble in the liquid and therefore deposits out. The formation of the crystals from solution involves three steps supersaturation, nucleus formation and crystal growth. Spherical crystallization is an agglomeration process that transforms crystals directly in to a compact spherical forms during the crystallization process. It is the versatile process that enables to control the type and the size of the crystals. It also enables co-precipitation of drug and encapsulating polymer in the form of spherical particle. Spherical crystallization can be successfully engineered when a suitable mixture of two or three partially miscible liquids is utilized as a crystallization solvent; this technique can be applied to a vast array of drugs and chemicals. Several steps including synthesis, crystallization, separation, and agglomeration can be combined into a single operation by employing spherical crystallization. This reduction in processing saves operating time and lowers production cost. The size of agglomerates can be easily controlled and the flowability and the compressibility of the granules can be improved so as to allow direct compression into tablets. If this process can be scaled-up to manufacturing level, this technology has the potential to provide the directly compressed spherical agglomerates with improving the physicochemical and micromeritic properties.
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