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The Influence of a gradient static magnetic field on an unstirred Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction
Author(s) -
Okano Hideyuki,
Kitahata Hiroyuki,
Akai Daisuke,
Tomita Naohide
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
bioelectromagnetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.435
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-186X
pISSN - 0197-8462
DOI - 10.1002/bem.20420
Subject(s) - magnetic field , magnetic flux , magnetostatics , magnetic pressure , paramagnetism , pressure gradient force , concentration gradient , belousov–zhabotinsky reaction , magnetic separation , nuclear magnetic resonance , chemistry , atomic physics , optics , physics , condensed matter physics , thermodynamics , magnetization , quantum mechanics , environmental chemistry
It is believed that static magnetic fields (SMF) cannot affect the pattern formation of the Belousov–Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction, which has been frequently studied as a simplified experimental model of a nonequilibrium open system, because SMF produces no induced current and the magnetic force of SMF far below 1 T is too low to expect the effects on electrons in the BZ reaction. In the present study, we examined whether the velocity of chemical waves in the unstirred BZ reaction can be affected by a moderate‐intensity SMF exposure depending on the spatial magnetic gradient. The SMF was generated by a parallel pair of attracting rectangular NdFeB magnets positioned opposite each other. The respective maximum values of magnetic flux density ( B max ), magnetic flux gradient ( G max ), and the magnetic force product of the magnetic flux density its gradient (a magnetic force parameter) were 206 mT, 37 mT/mm, and 3,000 mT 2 /mm. The ferroin‐catalyzed BZ medium was exposed to the SMF for up to 16 min at 25 °C. The experiments demonstrated that the wave velocity was significantly accelerated primarily by the magnetic gradient. The propagation of the fastest wave front indicated a sigmoid increase along the peak magnetic gradient line, but not along the peak magnetic force product line. The underlying mechanisms of the SMF effects on the anomalous wave propagation could be attributed primarily to the increased concentration gradient of the paramagnetic iron ion complexes at the chemical wave fronts induced by the magnetic gradient. Bioelectromagnetics 29:598–604, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.