Chlorite-thiosulfate reaction, chaotic oscillation

Figure 4. Chaotic oscillation in the potential of a Pt redox electrode in the chlorite-thiosulfate reaction in a flow reactor. Note the aperiodic alternation between large and small amplitude peaks. Input concentrations, [ClOfJo = 5 x 10 M, [S203 ]o = 3 X 10 M, pH = 4, residence time in reactor = a) 6.8 min, b) 10.5 min, c) 23.6 min. Reproduced from Orbdn et al. (14). Copyright 1982 American Chemical Society.

Figure 8.20 Chaotic behavior in the chlorite-thiosulfate reaction. Reprinted with pemiission from Orban, M. Epstein, I. R. 1982. Complex Periodic and Aperiodic Oscillation in the Chlorite-Thiosulfate Reaction, J. Phys. Chem. 86, 3907-3910. 1982 American Chemical Society.)...

Figure 2.4 Chaotic oscillation in the potential of a Pt redox electrode in the chlorite-thiosulfate reaction in a flow reactor. Adapted from Orbdn and Epstein [15].

Periodic chemical oscillations may be complex, and complex oscillations need not always be periodic. These observations are illustrated for the chlorite-thiosulfate reaction in Figures 10 and 11, where we see first complex periodic and then aperiodic or chaotic oscillation. 

Simple periodic chemical oscillation may now be said to be reasonably well understood. More complex behavior can arise when a single oscillator is pushed into new realms or when it is coupled either to other oscillators or to external influences. Some chemical oscillators that are simply periodic under one set of conditions can exhibit complex, multi-peaked, periodic or even aperiodic, chaotic (14) behavior at other concentrations and flow rates in an open reactor. Some examples of chaotic oscillations in the chlorite-thiosulfate system are shown in Figure 4. Coupling two or more reactions together can result in the... 

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