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Abstract: The aim of this study was to design a new orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) that has high tablet hardness and a fast oral disintegration rate using a new preparation method. To obtain rapid disintegration granules (RDGs), a saccharide, such as trehalose, mannitol, or lactose, was spray-coated with a suspension of corn starch using a fluidized-bed granulator (suspension method). As an additional disintegrant, crospovidone, light anhydrous silicic acid, or hydroxypropyl starch was also included in the suspension. The RDGs obtained possessed extremely large surface areas, narrow particle size distribution, and numerous micro-pores. When tabletting these RDGs, it was found that the RDGs increased tablet hardness by decreasing plastic deformation and increasing the contact frequency between granules. In all tablets, a linear relationship was observed between tablet hardness and oral disintegration time. From each linear correlation line, a slope (D/H value) and an intercept (D/H 0 value) were calculated. Tablets with small D/H and D/H 0 values could disintegrate immediately in the oral cavity regardless of the tablet hardness and were considered to be appropriate for ODTs. Therefore, these values were used as key parameters to select better ODTs. Of all the RDGs prepared in this study, mannitol spray-coated with a suspension of corn starch and crospovidone (2.5:1 w/w ratio) showed most appropriate properties for ODTs; fast in vivo oral disintegration time, and high tablet hardness. In conclusion, this simple method to prepare superior formulations for new ODTs was established by spray-coating mannitol with a suspension of appropriate disintegrants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Chemical bath deposition and ion exchange were used to incorporate copper, zinc, tin and sulfur into a thin film precursor stack. The stack was then sulfurized to form the photovoltaic absorber material Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS). The morphology and elemental composition of the films at each process stage were analyzed by Auger electron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and the structural and optical properties of the sulfurized film were determined by a combination of X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, and diffuse reflectance UV–Vis spectroscopy. Compositionally uniform microcrystalline CZTS with kesterite structure and a bandgap of 1.45eV were observed. A preliminary solar cell device was produced exhibiting photovoltaic and rectifying behavior. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]