The Kinetics of Dissolution of an Amorphous Solid

TL;DR

This paper presents a simple model for the dissolution kinetics of amorphous solids, revealing that the intrinsic dissolution rate depends on surface particle concentration and exploring surface etching as a tool to visualize heterogeneities.

Contribution

It introduces a model capturing dynamic heterogeneities in amorphous solids and links surface particle concentration to dissolution rate, independent of temperature or thermal history.

Findings

Dissolution rate proportional to surface particle concentration

Surface morphology described and analyzed

Surface etching can visualize dynamic heterogeneities

Abstract

The kinetics of dissolution of an amorphous solid is studied using a simple model of a glass that captures with reasonable accuracy the dynamic heterogeneities associated with the relaxation of an amorphous material at low temperatures. The intrinsic dissolution rate is shown to be proportional to the concentration of surface particles kinetically able to exchange with the solvent, independent of temperature or the thermal history of the glass. The morphology of the dissolving surface is described and the possibility of using surface etching to image dynamic heterogeneities is explored.