Acoustic-like dynamics of amorphous drugs in the THz regime

Abstract

The high frequency dynamics of Indomethacin and Celecoxib glasses has been investigated by inelastic x-ray scattering, accessing a momentum-energy region still unexplored in amorphous pharmaceuticals. We find evidence of phonon-like acoustic dynamics, and determine the THz behavior of sound velocity and acoustic attenuation. Connections with ordinary sound propagation are discussed, along with the relation between fast and slow degrees of freedom as represented by non-ergodicity factor and kinetic fragility, respectively.