Modification of the Matalon–Packter Law for Self-Organized Periodic Precipitation Patterns by Incorporating Time-Dependent Diffusion Flux
2021
Itatani, Masaki | Fang, Qing | Nabika, Hideki
Spontaneous pattern formation is common in both inanimate and living systems. Although the Liesegang pattern (LP) is a well-studied chemical model for precipitation patterns, various recent LP systems based on artificial control could not be easily evaluated using classical tools. The Matalon–Packter (MP) law describes the effect of the initial electrolyte concentration, which governs the diffusion flux (Fdᵢff), on the spatial distribution of LP. Note that the classical MP law only considers Fdᵢff through the initial concentration of electrolytes, even though it should also depend on the volume of the reservoir used for the outer electrolyte because of the temporal change in the concentration therein due to diffusion. However, there has been no report on the relationship between the MP law, the reservoir volume, and Fdᵢff. Here, we experimentally demonstrated and evaluated the effect of the reservoir volume on LP periodicity according to the classical MP law. Numerical simulations revealed that the reservoir volume affects the temporal modulation of Fdᵢff. By expressing the MP law as a function of estimated Fdᵢff after a certain period of time, we provide a uniform description of the changes in periodicity for both small and large reservoir volumes. Such modification should make the MP law a more robust tool for studying LP systems.
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