Long-lasting dashed waves in a reactive microemulsion.
In the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction carried out in a reverse microemulsion with Aerosol OT as surfactant, the existence of two different sizes of droplets containing the BZ reactants leads to the emergence of segmented (dashed) waves. This bimodal distribution of sizes is stabilized by adding small amounts of the homopolymer poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). Addition of PEO lengthens the period during which these patterns are observed, so that dashed waves can persist for 12-14 h, in contrast to the 2-3 h found in earlier studies without added polymer.
Carballido-Landeira
Jorge
J
Group of Nonlinear Physics, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, E-15782, Spain.
Berenstein
Igal
I
Taboada
Pablo
P
Mosquera
Victor
V
Vanag
Vladimir K
VK
Epstein
Irving R
IR
Pérez-Villar
Vicente
V
Muñuzuri
Alberto P
AP
D004655:Emulsions / Q000737:chemistry; D008956:Models, Chemical; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
D004655:Emulsions; D014867:Water