Turing-type patterns on electrode surfaces

Y. J. Li; J. Oslonovitch; N. Mazouz; F. Plenge; K. Krischer; G. Ertl

doi:10.1126/science.1057830

Turing-type patterns on electrode surfaces

Y. J. Li, J. Oslonovitch, N. Mazouz, F. Plenge, K. Krischer, G. Ertl

Abteilung Physikalische Chemie

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

117 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report stationary, nonequilibrium potential and adsorbate patterns with an intrinsic wavelength that were observed in an electrochemical system with a specific type of current/electrode-potential (/-φ_DL) characteristic. The patterns emerge owing to the interplay of a self-enhancing step in the reaction dynamics and a long-range inhibition by migration currents rather than by diffusion. Theoretical analysis revealed that this self-structuring of the electrode occurs in all electrochemical systems with an S-shaped /-φ_DL characteristic in wide and well-accessible parameter ranges. This unusual pattern-forming instability in electrochemical systems has all the characteristics of the mechanism proposed by Turing in 1952 in the framework of an early theory of morphogenesis. Our finding might account for structure formation in certain biological systems that have gradients in the electric potential and may open new paths for fabricating patterned electrodes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	2395-2398
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	291
Issue number	5512
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1057830
State	Published - 23 Mar 2001
Externally published	Yes

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title = "Turing-type patterns on electrode surfaces",

abstract = "We report stationary, nonequilibrium potential and adsorbate patterns with an intrinsic wavelength that were observed in an electrochemical system with a specific type of current/electrode-potential (/-φDL) characteristic. The patterns emerge owing to the interplay of a self-enhancing step in the reaction dynamics and a long-range inhibition by migration currents rather than by diffusion. Theoretical analysis revealed that this self-structuring of the electrode occurs in all electrochemical systems with an S-shaped /-φDL characteristic in wide and well-accessible parameter ranges. This unusual pattern-forming instability in electrochemical systems has all the characteristics of the mechanism proposed by Turing in 1952 in the framework of an early theory of morphogenesis. Our finding might account for structure formation in certain biological systems that have gradients in the electric potential and may open new paths for fabricating patterned electrodes.",

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T1 - Turing-type patterns on electrode surfaces

AU - Li, Y. J.

AU - Oslonovitch, J.

AU - Mazouz, N.

AU - Plenge, F.

AU - Krischer, K.

AU - Ertl, G.

PY - 2001/3/23

Y1 - 2001/3/23

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AB - We report stationary, nonequilibrium potential and adsorbate patterns with an intrinsic wavelength that were observed in an electrochemical system with a specific type of current/electrode-potential (/-φDL) characteristic. The patterns emerge owing to the interplay of a self-enhancing step in the reaction dynamics and a long-range inhibition by migration currents rather than by diffusion. Theoretical analysis revealed that this self-structuring of the electrode occurs in all electrochemical systems with an S-shaped /-φDL characteristic in wide and well-accessible parameter ranges. This unusual pattern-forming instability in electrochemical systems has all the characteristics of the mechanism proposed by Turing in 1952 in the framework of an early theory of morphogenesis. Our finding might account for structure formation in certain biological systems that have gradients in the electric potential and may open new paths for fabricating patterned electrodes.

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Turing-type patterns on electrode surfaces

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