Aerosols

By Dr Rifat Riaz
Aerosol Container and Valve
Assembly
Selection of the material for container and valve assembly must be on the
following criteria
1. The formulation must not chemically interact with the container or
valve components.
2. Don’t interfere with the stability of the formulation.
3. The container and valve must be capable of withstanding the pressure
required by the product.
4. It must resist corrosion.
5. The valve must contribute to the form of the product to be emitted.
 Containers
Various materials have been used in the manufacture of aerosol containers,
including
(a) Glass
• Uncoated
• Plastic coated
(b) Metal
• Tin-plated steel
• Aluminum
• Stainless steel
(c) Plastics
 Containers
The selection of the container for an aerosol product is based on
1. Its adaptability to production methods.
2. Compatibility with formulation components.
3. Ability to sustain the pressure intended for the product.
4. The interest in design aesthetic appeal on the part of the manufacturer.
5. Cost.
 Glass Containers
Advantages
1. Glass presents fewer problems with respect to chemical compatibility
with the formula than do metal containers
2. It is not subject to corrosion.
3. Glass is also more adaptive to creativity in design
Disadvantages
4. Due to it brittleness, has danger of breakage
5. Glass containers must be precisely engineered to provide the maximum
in pressure safety and impact resistance.
 Glass Containers
Solution
 Plastic coatings are commonly applied to the outer surface of glass
containers
a. To render them more resistant to accidental breakage, and in the
event of breaking,
b. The plastic coating prevents the scattering of glass fragments.
 When required, the inner surface of glass containers may be coated to
render them more chemically resistant to formulation materials.
 Tin-plated Steel Containers
 Tin-plated steel containers are the most widely used metal containers for
aerosols.
 The starting material is in sheets, the completed aerosol cylinders are
seamed and soldered to provide a sealed unit.
 When required, special protective coatings are employed within the
container to prevent corrosion and interaction between the container and
formulation.
 The containers must be carefully examined prior to filling to ensure that
there are no flaws in the seam or in the protective coating that would
render the container weak or subject to corrosion.
 Aluminum Containers
Advantages
1. Seamless containers are prepared by using aluminum
2. Seamless container provides safety against leakage, incompatibility, and
corrosion.
Disadvantage
3. The main limitation of stainless steel containers is their high cost.
 Plastic Containers
• Plastic containers have met with varying success in the packaging of
aerosols
Permeated by the vapor within the container.
Certain drug–plastic interactions affect the release of drug from the
container and reduce the efficacy of the product
 Valve Assembly
Functions
The function of the valve assembly is
1. To permit expulsion of the contents
2. To permit content of container in the desired form,
3. Also controlled the release rate.
4. In the case of metered valves, in the proper amount or dose.
Material
The materials used in the manufacture of valves must be inert to the
formulations and must be approved by the FDA.
 Plastic
 Rubber
 Aluminum
 Stainless steel
 Parts of Valve Assembly
• The usual aerosol valve assembly is composed of the following parts
1. Actuator
2. Stem
3. Gasket
4. Spring
5. Mounting cup
6. Housing
7. Dip tube
 Parts of Valve Assembly
1) Actuator:
 The button the user presses to activate the valve assembly for emission
of the product.
 The actuator permits easy opening and closing of the valve.
 It is through the orifice in the actuator that the product is discharged.
 The design of the inner chamber and size of the emission orifice of the
actuator contribute to the physical form (mist, coarse spray, solid stream,
or foam) in which the product is discharged.
 Parts of Valve Assembly
2) Stem:
Supports the actuator and delivers the formulation in the proper form to the
chamber of the actuator.
3) Gasket:
Placed snugly with the stem and prevents leakage of the formulation when
the valve is closed.
4) Spring:
Holds the gasket in place and is the mechanism by which the actuator
retracts when pressure is released, returning the valve to the closed
position.
 Parts of Valve Assembly
5) Mounting cup:
• Attached to the aerosol can or container and holds the valve in place.
• Because the underside of the mounting cup is exposed to the
formulation, it must receive the same consideration as the inner part of
the container with respect to meeting criteria of compatibility.
• If necessary, it may be coated with an inert material (e.g., an epoxy resin
or vinyl) to prevent an undesired interaction.
 Parts of Valve Assembly
6) Housing:
• Directly below the mounting cup, the housing links the dip tube and the
stem and actuator.
• With the stem, its orifice helps to determine the delivery rate and the
form in which the product is emitted.
7) Dip tube:
• Extends from the housing down into the product; brings the formulation
from the container to the valve.
• The viscosity of the product and its intended delivery rate dictate to a
large extent the inner dimensions of the dip tube and housing for a
particular product.