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The Phoenix™ Diffusion Cell offers improved ease of use, high durability, and greater versatility as compared to conventional hand-blown vertical diffusion cells. In addition, Phoenix cells operate on dry heat; no water-jacketing is required. This allows construction from heavy-duty borosilicate glass, held to very tight dimensional tolerances. Moreover, the extract-and-replace sampling through the large diameter opening in the sampling arm accommodates standard pipette tips (~300 μL). This simplifies the sampling process while reducing training and operating costs.
Powerful Mixing
Special grooves machined into the tops and sides of the mixer-inserts provide strong circulation and nearly instantaneous homogenization of cell contents. This system prevents the formation of regions of higher concentration of API under the membrane, thereby reducing test variability. This ensures the accuracy and consistency needed for permeability testing.
Test Preparation
Phoenix cells are quick to set up. Dosage forms are applied to an easily accessible opening in the cell cap. No clamps are required. Bubbles are easily detected and removed simply by lifting the cell and tipping it to one side. This ease of use simplifies the setup for permeability testing, making the process more efficient.
Chemical Compatibility
The Phoenix press-on style of cell cap is made from polyether ether ketone (PEEK), sealed with O‑rings made from Viton™ (fluoroelastomer). The Phoenix threaded style of cell cap is made from polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). It is sealed with O-rings made from either Viton or Kalrez™ (perfluoroelastomer). This provides higher compatibility with aggressive solvents such as THF and DMSO.
Diffusion Cell Design
The most critical aspect of any lab testing instrument is its ability to produce results that are both accurate and precise. In other words, accuracy ensures true results, while precision ensures consistency from one test to the next. However, variability—the enemy of precision—comes from inconsistencies in the test instrument itself, the test procedure, and the materials being tested.
With these factors in mind, the Phoenix dry heat diffusion cell is designed to eliminate instrument variability. It significantly reduces the potential for procedural inconsistencies (operator error). By incorporating improvements based on 30 years of experience in manual and automated diffusion cell systems, the Phoenix cell is more durable and easier to operate. This, it also provides significantly better test results.
Constructed of precision-bore tubing such as found in barrel syringes, each borosilicate glass cell is dimensionally consistent with the next. The generous 9 mm internal diameter of the sampling arm promotes rapid homogenization of receptor media. It allows the use of standard pipette tips to save on costs. Standard 16 mm evaporation caps fit onto the flanged end of the sampling arm.
- Phoenix cells are durable, portable, quick to assemble, and easy to clean.
- Three different styles of cell cap kits are designed to work interchangeably with each cell.
- Slotted evaporation caps prevent loss of media while allowing manual sampling by pipette or autosampling by probe.
- Fill mark conveniently indicates receptor media has reached the level of the membrane.
Receptor Media Volume Adjustment
Phoenix diffusion cells allow the analyst to adjust receptor media volume simply by changing the mixer-insert. For instance, the use of the short mixer-insert (13 mm height) provides the maximum available volume for a particular cell size. The tall mixer insert (30 mm height) provides a lesser volume while still allowing samples to be taken from the center of the main body of the cell as specified in USP <1724> Semisolid Drug Products—Performance Tests. This flexibility is especially beneficial when conducting permeability testing, as it allows for precise control over the test conditions.
