Dynamic behavior during the oxidation of phenol with bromate in a closed reactor

Abstract

The uncatalyzed system BrO₃⁻–phenol–H₂SO₄ exhibits an astonishing variety of dynamic behavior including three stationary and two oscillatory states, dual-frequency and dual-amplitude oscillations and aperiodic oscillations in a closed, stirred batch reactor. For an explanation of the sequential oscillations we assume that we have subsystems (A + B) and (C + B) coupled through the common reactant B (bromate). A is phenol and C is the oxidation/bromination product of the A + B reaction. A significant stirring rate and viscosity effect is observed. Stationary complex patterns may spontaneously develop when a solution containing phenol, BrO₃⁻ and H₂SO₄ is poured into an open Petri dish.