Purpose: The purpose of this study was to characterise the water mobility in the gel layer of hydrating HPMC tablets. Water mobility in the gel layer of different HPMCs was studied.
Methods: NMR imaging, a non-invasive technique, has been used to measure the spatial distribution of self-diffusion coefficient (SDC) and T2 relaxation times across the gel layer.
Results: It has been shown that there is a water mobility gradient across the gel layer of HPMC tablets. Although SDC and T2 relaxation times in the outer parts of the gel layer approached that of free water, in the inner parts they decreased progressively. Water mobility and SDC in the gel layer of different HPMCs appeared to vary with degree of substitution of the polymer and the lowest values were obtained across the gel layer of K4M tablets.
Conclusions: Water mobility varies across the gel layer of hydrating HPMC tablets and it is dependent on the degree of substitution of the polymer.