Liesegang Phenomena: Spontaneous Pattern Formation Engineered by Chemical Reactions

Abstract

Numerous self-organized spatiotemporal patterns are seen in Nature, many of which are controlled via minute balances between the reactions and diffusion of the constituents in each system. The Liesegang phenomenon is one of the major mechanisms that yield static self-organized patterns in Nature, e.g., the beautiful patterns of agates. Since the discovery of the Liesegang phenomenon in chemistry, many researchers have attempted to identify the inherent mechanism to enable the engineering of desired patterns by chemical reactions. In this review, we briefly discuss the theoretical background of Liesegang phenomena, which can be used to quantitatively explain the experimental results in a number of Liesegang systems. Some recent developments in the controlled construction of Liesegang patterns are then reviewed. Keywords: Liesegang, micropattern, nanoparticle, spatiotemporal homogeneity, spatiotemporal patterns, reaction-diffusion.