Hydrodynamically induced chemical oscillation at a water/nitrobenzene interface

Abstract

By measuring a time course of interfacial tension and interfacial electrical potential, we successfully observed oscillatory phenomena that were based on alternatively appearing adsorption and desorption processes of anionic surfactant molecules (sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)) at the water/nitrobenzene interface. These oscillation patterns were drastically modified by slightly changing the rate of SDS aqueous solution injection into the water phase. When 10 mM of SDS aqueous solution was injected at a low rate, for example, at less than 1 μl/min, abrupt adsorption was repeatedly followed by slow desorption of DS − ions; in other words, the sequence of the oscillation and relaxation processes was repeated. However, when it was injected at a higher rate, no remarkable periodic phenomenon occurred after the first oscillation. In addition, the rapid adsorption process was observed to be accompanied by a flip motion of the liquid/liquid interface and a flow along the interface. This is caused by a Marangoni convection that is brought about by the generation of heterogeneity of interfacial tension. Furthermore, by estimating the flow speed, it was determined that the faster flow tends to quench the periodic oscillation patterns.