Mechanical Anisotropy and Pressure Induced Structural Changes in Piroxicam Crystals Probed by in Situ Indentation and Raman Spectroscopy

Abstract

The ability to correlate mechanical and chemical characterization techniques in real time is both lacking and powerful tool for gaining insights into material behavior. This is demonstrated through use of a novel nanoindentation device equipped with Raman spectroscopy to explore the deformation-induced structural changes in _Qiroxicam crystals. Mechanical anisotropy was observed in two major faces (011) and (011), which are correlated to changes in the interlayer interaction from in situ Raman spectra recorded during indentation. The results of this study demonstrate the considerable potential of an in situ Raman nanoindentation instrument for studying a variety of topics, including stress-induced phase transformation mechanisms, mechanochemistry, and solid state reactivity under mechanical forces that occur in molecular and pharmaceutical solids.