Many drugs form hydrates, i.e. they can incorporate water into their crystal structure, which can be more or less strongly bound. If the water is removed by drying processes, the physical properties (e.g. water solubility) and often the chemical stability of the active ingredient change. The characterisation and control of hydrate formation is therefore an essential part of pharmaceutical product development today. The group specialises in the development of methods for the investigation of water-solid interactions and the elucidation of the structural and thermodynamic principles of hydrate formation.
