Resolvation

Resolvation is a term used in chemistry and materials science to refer to the act of reintroducing solvent to a system or to the re-dissolution of a substance that has been isolated, dissolved again after precipitation, or dehydrated. The term is not widely standardized, and its precise meaning depends on context. In dissolution chemistry, resolvation may describe the process by which a solid previously separated from its solution is dissolved again by adding solvent, often after a period of crystallization or drying. In crystallography and solid-state chemistry, resolvation can refer to restoring solvent molecules within a crystal lattice, creating a solvated form or rehydration of a desolvated solid. Related terms include solvation (the stabilization of a solute by solvent molecules), desolvation (the removal of solvent), dissolution, and recrystallization.

Common methods involve introducing an appropriate solvent or solvent mixture, applying heat or agitation to overcome lattice energy, and controlling temperature, pH, and solubility to achieve complete re-dissolution. Applications appear in pharmaceutical development when polymorphs or solvates must be interconverted or when measuring dissolution rates; in materials science for processing hydrated minerals; and in laboratory analysis when samples must be re-dissolved for spectroscopy or chromatography.

Because resolvation is not a standard term with a single definition, authors may choose to define it explicitly in their work to avoid ambiguity.