0000000000067712
AUTHOR
R. Varsalona
New Features in the dynamics of a ferroin-catalyzed Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction induced by a zwitterionic surfactant
Abstract Interactions between reaction–diffusion systems and aggregated host environments are a subject of widespread interest. In this work, the behavior of the Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction was investigated in a micellar environment formed by the zwitterionic surfactant N-tetradecyl-N,N-dimethylamine oxide (C14DMAO). The appearance of an induction period with a threshold-like dependence upon the surfactant concentration, was detected at [C14DMAO] = 5.0 × 10−3 mol dm−3. These new features were explained in terms of the segregation ability typical of the amphiphilic self-assembling systems. Numerical simulations were also performed to confirm the proposed mechanism.
Control of spontaneous spiral formation in a zwitterionic micellar medium
The transition from planar fronts, trigger waves or solitary pulses to spirals in excitable media, has attracted increasing interest in the past few decades, mainly because of its relevance for biological and medical applications. In this paper we describe a new and convenient method for spiral generation starting from symmetric wavefronts. By using the micelle-forming zwitterionic surfactant N-tetradecyl- N,N-dimethylamine oxide in a Belousov–Zhabotinsky solution, it is possible to control to a large extent the domains where spirals can be spontaneously generated. The mechanism responsible for the wavefront break up lies in the interaction of the propagating waves with the unexcitable regi…
Oscillatory dynamics of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky system in the presence of a self-assembling nonionic polymer. Role of the reactants concentration.
In the present study, the role played by the reactants concentration on the nonlinear response of a Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) system to the addition of a self-assembling non-ionic polymer, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), has been assessed. The oscillatory parameters are influenced to an extent that significantly depends on the concentration of both the polymer and the Belousov–Zhabotinsky components. The effects obtained were attributed to the reaction among some of the BZ key species and the backbone and the alcoholic functional groups of the polymer, both in its monomeric and aggregated forms. Support to the proposed perturbation mechanism has been provided by performing numerical simulation…