title: Spontaneous formation of complex structures made from elastic membranes in an aluminum-hydroxide-carbonate system.
abstract: A popular playground for studying chemo-hydrodynamic patterns and instabilities is chemical gardens, also known as silicate gardens. In these systems, complex structures spontaneously form, driven by buoyant forces and either osmotic or mechanical pumps. Here, we report on systems that differ somewhat from classical chemical gardens in that the membranes are much more deformable and soluble. These properties lead to structures that self-construct and evolve in new ways. For example, they exhibit the formation of chemical balloons, a new growth mechanism for tubes, and also the homologous shrinking of these tubes. The stretching mechanism for the membranes is probably different than for other systems by involving membrane "self-healing." Other unusual properties are osmosis that sometimes occurs out of the structure and also small plumes that flow away from the structure, sometimes upwards, and sometimes downwards. Mathematical models are given that explain some of the observed phenomena.
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska 99516, USA.
authors.forename: Micah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiehl
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska 99516, USA.
authors.forename: Vitaliy
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kaminker
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Technical University, Wroclaw, Poland.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pantaleone
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics/Astronomy, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska 99516, USA.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nowak
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics/Astronomy, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska 99516, USA.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dyonizy
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska 99516, USA.
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maselko
mesh_terms: D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D002254:Carbonates / Q000737:chemistry*; D004548:Elasticity; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008956:Models, Chemical; D009995:Osmosis
chemical_list: D002254:Carbonates; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D000536:Aluminum Hydroxide