The dissolution dynamics of a NaCl nanocrystal in liquid water was studied using molecular dynamics simulations. The dissolution process was found to start with a Cl^- ion at a corner site, followed by a Na⁺ ion nearby. Both show directional preference in the dissolution path. An ion sequence with alternating charge, i.e., Cl^-,Na⁺,Cl^-,Na⁺, etc. was found to dominate the dissolution process. This image can be understood from the ionic hydration structures and the Coulomb interaction between the ions.
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Yang et al. (2005) studied this question.
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