Use of Adhesive for the Retention of a Rough-Surfaced Particle on a Solid Support

In a study of the rate of dissolution in water of a single detergent granule, an unexpected experimental artefact was encountered. The granule, attached to a solid support by adhesive, was found on dissolution to leave behind a thin shell or skin. The formation of this residue can be attributed to the capillarity-induced spreading of the uncured adhesive over much of the granule surface due to its irregular surface morphology. No such effect was found with smooth, spherical particles of comparable size. This residue would be likely to modify the observed dissolution process.