Structural characteristics and permeability of ethyl cellulose films containing different plasticizers

The effect of different type of plasticizers was investigated in ethyl cellulose as coating polymer for manufacturing coated pellets of modified release containing a water soluble model drug. Scanning electron microscopic image analysis (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic chemical surface analysis (XPS) were used to study the films, and the dissolution profiles of coated pellets were evaluated. The effect of the different plasticizers and coating levels on the first order dissolution rate constant is determined by statistical experimental design. Correlation was found between the dissolution rate constant and the structural characteristics of the coating layer containing different plasticizers. Partial segregation of the plasticizers was detected especially on the surface of the films, which is in correlation with the differences in the glass transition temperatures. PEG 400 is found to be compatible enough to form continuous, durable EC coating at 5% concentration level, which gave the slowest dissolution.