Anomalous Target Pattern in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) Reaction

This video shows a chemical wave pattern in a thin layer of the 1,4-cyclohexanedione Belousov-Zhabotinsky (CHD-BZ) reaction. The waves are traveling color bands(blue on red). The pattern consists of expanding, concentric circles. They are "fueled" by the wildfire-like (isothermal) spreading of an autocatalytic reaction front. There is no fluid motion here; only reaction and diffusion. The CHD-BZ reaction is quite special and interesting as its chemical waves tend to show anomalous dispersion. In this specific example, all interior waves vanishes in the wake of the slow moving outermost wave pulse. Nonetheless, the global pattern expands.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Chemistry
• Belousov-Zhabotinsky
• BZ
• Reaction
• Target Pattern
• Dispersion