The Belousov–Zhabotinskii Reaction: Improving the Oregonator Model with the Arrhenius Equation

Abstract

Oscillating chemical reactions (OCRs) have been known since 1828, with the Belousov–Zhabotinskii (BZ) reaction the most studied example. Initially, OCRs were considered to be special cases due to the small number detected and because the oscillatory behavior did not seem to agree with the second law of thermodynamics. However, OCRs have become increasingly important not only in chemistry, but also in biology as they are the foundation of several significant phenomena: glycolysis, nerve signal transmission, heartbeats, and so forth. The BZ reaction has been examined both experimentally and theoretically. Temporal oscillations appear in both cases, but discrepancies are found between experimental results and theoretical calculations. This article addresses the discrepancies by describing (i) a simple, clear, and inexpensive experimental procedure for carrying out the reaction and determining the oscillation period and (ii) an innovative methodology that includes the effect of temperature on the original model using the Arrhenius equation. The equations resulting from this approach can easily be solved with the help of MATLAB. In addition, a user-friendly graphical interface has been developed that highlights the effects on the oscillating system caused by changes in different parameters. The effect of the temperature generated during the reaction is also analyzed. This analysis discloses temperature variations: a relevant issue that the theoretical model does not envisage. The exercise is appropriate for upper-level physical chemistry students.

Tuning the selectivity of biomass oxidation over oxygen evolution on NiO–OH electrodes

“…Such behavior can be described in more simplified reaction schemes/ kinetics like the Bruesselator or the Oregonator. 47,48 On the other hand oscillations in electrochemical reactions can also appear if the electrode or the catalyst surface and therefore the active sites for catalysis are blocked by reaction intermediates. Known examples include formic acid, formaldehyde, methanol, ethylene glycol, ethanol, glycerol or glucose and their oxidation on Pt.…”

Which model should be selected to analyze the experimental data among many adsorption kinetic models?

“…But the integrated or linear forms exist in the special cases and the most of practical differential equations are impossible to solve with analytic method. MATLAB has a powerful ODE function 47 which are possible to solve by numeral integrated method and the programming are also simple. The kinetic parameters (rate constant, order and so on) were calculated by the nonlinear least squares fitting 48 with "fminsearch" and "fminunc"(MATLAB functions).…”

Chaos and beauty in a beaker: The early history of the Belousov‐Zhabotinsky reaction

“…It is known today that the BZ reaction comprises a multitude of individual reactions, and that its behavior is subject to the principles of nonlinear kinetics due to complex feedback mechanisms. To date, more than eighty elementary reactions have been identified . A standard composition of reagents (potassium bromate, malonic acid and sulphuric acid) was introduced by Richard J.…”