3 Easy Steps To Successful Viscosity Measurement

By Robert McGregor

Pharmaceutical R&D labs test new formulations for viscosity to quantify flow behavior properties. Viscosity affects processing decisions for mixing in manufacturing and filling containers with consumer product, as well as formulation stability during transport, storage, and consumer use. Instruments called “rheometers” and “viscometers” are used to measure viscosity of pharmaceutical liquids and semi-solid materials like creams/ ointments. Viscosity flow curves characterize typical behavior of pharmaceutical products. As rotational speed of spindle increases, viscosity decreases. R&D will pick a data point on this curve and direct QC to test for that value when qualifying production batches for shipment.