On the oxidation of malonic acid by ceric ions

MnO2/TiO2-Catalyzed ozonolysis: enhancing Pentachlorophenol degradation and understanding intermediates

Pentachlorophenol is a pesticide widely known for its harmful effects on sewage, causing harm to the environment. In previous studies, our group identified adsorption as a crucial factor in catalytic ozonation processes, and subsequent observations revealed the catalyst's role in reducing toxicity during degradation. In this research, we quantified organochlorine intermediates and low molecular weight organic acids generated under optimal pH conditions (pH 9), with and without the catalyst. Additionally, we assessed the reactivity of these intermediates through theoretical calculations. Our findings indicate that the catalyst reduces the duration of intermediates. Additionally, the presence of CO2 suggests enhanced mineralization of pentachlorophenol, a process notably facilitated by the catalyst. Theoretical calculations, such as Fukui analysis, offer insights into potential pathways for the dechlorination of aromatic molecules by radicals like OH, indicating the significance of this pathway.

Hofmeister Effect in Self-Organized Chemical Systems

We studied the effect of spectator ions in the prototype of far-from-equilibrium self-organized chemical systems, the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. In particular, we investigated the specific ion effect of alkali metal cations, connoted for their kosmotropic and chaotropic properties. By means of combined experimental and numerical approaches, we could show a neat and robust evidence for the Hofmeister effect in this system. Spectator cations induce a marked increment of the induction period that preludes regular oscillations and decrease the oscillation amplitude following the sequence Li⁺ < Na⁺ ≪ K⁺ ∼ Cs⁺. These ions affect the system kinetics by interfering in the interaction between the oxidized form of the catalyst and the organic substrate, responsible for resetting the BZ system to pre-autocatalytic (reduced) conditions. The specific ion effect on these key reactive steps is systematically characterized and correlated with different parameters which describe the interaction of the cations with the solvent.

Mechanism and Phenomenology of an Oscillating Chemical Reaction

Chemical reactions, which are far from equilibrium, are capable of displaying oscillations in species concentrations and hence in colour, electrode potential, pH and/or temperature. The oscillations arise from the interplay between positive and negative kinetic feedback. Mechanisms for such reactions are presented, along with the rich phenomenology that these systems exhibit, from complex oscillations and chemical waves, to stationary concentration patterns. This review will focus on the Belousov-Zhabotinksy reaction but reference to other reactions will be made where appropriate.

Method for determining a coupling function in coupled oscillators with application to Belousov-Zhabotinsky oscillators

A coupling function that describes the interaction between self-sustained oscillators in a phase equation is derived and applied experimentally to Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) oscillators. It is demonstrated that the synchronous behavior of coupled BZ reactors is explained extremely well in terms of the coupling function thus obtained. This method does not require comprehensive knowledge of either the oscillation mechanism or the interaction among the oscillators, both of these being often difficult to elucidate in an actual system. These facts enable us to accurately analyze the weakly coupled entrainment phenomenon through the direct measurement of the coupling function.