a b s t r a c tHorizontally propagating chemical fronts have been studied in the acid-catalyzed chlorite-tetrathionate reaction. Unusual cellular fingers develop in a relatively thin solution layer. Double-diffusive convection is among the driving forces in the pattern formation arising from the addition of a polyelectrolyte which immobilizes and reversibly removes the autocatalyst hydrogen ion in a controlled manner and drastically slows down the front. Convection therefore becomes significant in the thin horizontal solution layer. To corroborate our results we have measured the solution densities and viscosities, and determined the diffusion coefficients by PFGSE 1 H-NMR.
Horizontally propagating chemical fronts are studied in a thin solution layer of the acid-catalyzed chlorite-tetrathionate reaction. Unusual cellular patterns develop when significant amount of autocatalyst is bound to polyelectrolyte with low mobility: both oscillatory and stationary patterns evolve as a result of the interaction between the reaction front and the superposed gravity current. The concentration of the polyelectrolyte regulating the velocity of front propagation serves as a bifurcation parameter for switching between the two basic patterns.
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