Compacts of microcrystalline cellulose were prepared at applied compression pressures of 21, 32, 43, 53, and 64 MPa. Compacts were subjected to elevated temperatures of 125°C, 150°C, and 175°C according to a 5-min heating program. The effect of these thermal treatments on compact volumes, densities, porosities, tensile strengths, and weight loss was determined. There was no change in the volumes of the compacts due to thermal treatments in most of the conditions. However, the densities of the

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... mpacts decreased while the porosities increased as a consequence of weight loss. Moreover, there was no difference (p > 0.05) between the tensile strengths of the compacts without heat treatment and those subjected to heat treatment in most of the conditions. This was indicative of the preservation of the magnitude of the interparticulate bonds in the compacts. Weight loss of the compacts was affected by the heat treatment temperature and their porosities.