Date of Thesis
Spring 2025
Description
The control of solid-state properties is central to advancing pharmaceutical and industrial processes. In industries such as pharmaceuticals and food science, the solid-state form, including polymorphic structure, plays a critical role in determining solubility, stability, bioavailability, and product performance. The molecular arrangement within a crystal, as well as transitions between polymorphs, can significantly influence the effectiveness of the final product. This thesis advances the understanding of solid-state behavior by (1) investigating the polymorphism of suberic acid and (2) studying the formation and stability of caffeine–glutaric acid co-crystals, both produced using droplet evaporation at ambient conditions. This study reports the first isolation of a metastable polymorph of suberic acid. In the caffeine–glutaric acid system, Form I was consistently obtained across multiple solvents, contrasting with previous reports in which solvent-assisted grinding predominantly yielded Form II. Structural and thermal analyses were conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and variable-temperature X-ray diffraction (VTXRD). Overall, the results demonstrate that droplet evaporation under ambient conditions is an effective method for controlling polymorphic outcomes and accessing metastable solid forms, offering a promising approach for polymorph screening and co-crystal development in pharmaceutical applications.
Keywords
Pharmaceuticals, crystallization, co-crystals, polymorphs, suberic acid, caffeine
Access Type
Masters Thesis
Degree Type
Master of Science in Chemical Engineering
Major
Chemical Engineering
First Advisor
Dr. Ryan C. Snyder
Recommended Citation
Anofi, Sheriff, "INVESTIGATING SUBERIC ACID POLYMORPHISM AND CAFFEINE–GLUTARIC ACID CO-CRYSTAL FORMATION VIA DROPLET EVAPORATION TECHNIQUES" (2025). Master’s Theses. 300.
https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/masters_theses/300