Growth and dissolution rates of sodium perborate crystals have been measured in a flow-type single-crystal cell. Sodium perborate grows dendritically at any level of supersaturation and shows growth and dissolution rate dispersion. Both the growth and dissolution rates of sodium perborate were found to be controlled by surface charge distribution which is represented by applied voltages in an electrostatic separator. It was determined that high surface charge dominates the crystal growth rate when compared with low surface charge under identical conditions. The results obtained showed that the formation of dendritic structure is not a function of supersaturation but a function of surface charge. The rate of dissolution of a crystal with a high surface charge is greater than that with a low surface charge. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.