Method for determination of in-vitro fiber dissolution rate by direct optical measurement of diameter decrease

A new method for measuring in-vitro fiber dissolution rate in physiological saline solutions is based on direct optical measurement of fiber diameter decrease. Dissolution times measured by this new method for a variety of vi treous silicate fibers with a wide range of dissolution rates are in good a greement with results from SEM and from traditional mass loss and solution analysis techniques. The new method is conceptually and experimentally simp le, and it can be applied directly to fibers pulled from the original fiber sample with no pretreatment.