title: Sonofragmentation of molecular crystals.
abstract: Possible mechanisms for the breakage of molecular crystals under high-intensity ultrasound were investigated using acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) crystals as a model compound for active pharmaceutical ingredients. Surprisingly, kinetics experiments ruled out particle-particle collisions as a viable mechanism for sonofragmentation. Two other possible mechanisms (particle-horn and particle-wall collisions) were dismissed on the basis of decoupling experiments. Direct particle-shock wave interactions are therefore indicated as the primary mechanism of sonofragmentation of molecular crystals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
authors.forename: Brad W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Zeiger
authors.forename: Kenneth S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Suslick
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000737:chemistry*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000737:chemistry*; D003460:Crystallization; D007700:Kinetics; D010316:Particle Size; D014465:Ultrasonics / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D001241:Aspirin