Indentation-induced structural changes probed by Raman spectroscopy

In the pharmaceutical industry, the detection of different polymorphs of drug materials is critical, as any changes in the composition or structure may lead to a different clinical response. In this application note, Bruker Nano discusses mechanical anisotropy and stress-induced structural changes in single-crystal ß-form piroxicam (anti-inflammatory drug). The variation of mechanical properties in the (011) and (011) crystallographic planes and the associated chemical changes under indentation were studied in detail.