Dissipative structures in coupled cells: Experiments

A system of coupled cells with mutual mass exchange and reaction is widely used as a model of heterogeneous catalytic reactors, catalytic reactions at the surface of a solid catalyst, in models of cell growth in morphogenesis, modeling of physiological systems, etc. A model hexagonal structure of seven thermostatted, flow-through, well-stirred reaction cells with mutual mass exchange between the cells was constructed and tested experimentally. The Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction of oxidation of malonic acid by acidic bromate with ceric–cerous ion catalyst was used in experiments. Two stable stationary states can exist in a single flow-through cell in a well-defined range of inlet concentrations of malonic acid. When a string of up to seven cells is coupled by mutual mass exchange between neighboring cells, various combinations of ’’upper’’ and ’’lower’’ stable stationary states in individual cells—dissapative structures—can exist. The stability of dissipative structures to perturbations in Ce4+ and Br− ion concentrations was studied, and transitions between individual structures were followed.