Understanding Crystal Growth Kinetics in the Absence and Presence of a Polymer Using a Rotating Disk Apparatus

Polymer inhibition of crystal growth from supersaturated solutions is an important area of study, particularly in the pharmaceutical field. Polymers can be used to modify crystal morphology or to slow crystal growth with the goal of enhancing oral drug absorption. In order to fully understand the effect of polymers on crystal growth, it is important to understand the kinetics of the integration step. In this study, a rotating disk apparatus is used to isolate the integration step from the mass transfer step so that the integration kinetics can be determined for growth rates in the absence and presence of polymers. The results indicate that the presence of polymers in solution greatly impacts the integration step and has no impact on the mass transfer kinetics.