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K Krischer

Publications and source records attributed to K Krischer.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Breathing current domains in globally coupled electrochemical systems: a comparison with a semiconductor model.

Spatio-temporal bifurcations and complex dynamics in globally coupled intrinsically bistable electrochemical systems with an S-shaped current-voltage characteristic under galvanostatic control are studied theoretically on a one-dimensional domain. The results are compared with the dynamics and the bifurcation scenarios occurring in a closely related model which describes pattern formation in semiconductors. Under galvanostatic control both systems are unstable with respect to the formation of stationary large amplitude current domains. The current domains as well as the homogeneous steady state exhibit oscillatory instabilities for slow dynamics of the potential drop across the double layer, or across the semiconductor device, respectively. The interplay of the different instabilities leads to complex spatio-temporal behavior. We find breathing current domains and chaotic spatio-temporal dynamics in the electrochemical system. Comparing these findings with the results obtained earlier for the semiconductor system, we outline bifurcation scenarios leading to complex dynamics in globally coupled bistable systems with subcritical spatial bifurcations.

Journal Article↗

Turing-type patterns on electrode surfaces.

We report stationary, nonequilibrium potential and adsorbate patterns with an intrinsic wavelength that were observed in an electrochemical system with a specific type of current/electrode-potential (I-phi(DL)) characteristic. The patterns emerge owing to the interplay of a self-enhancing step in the reaction dynamics and a long-range inhibition by migration currents rather than by diffusion. Theoretical analysis revealed that this self-structuring of the electrode occurs in all electrochemical systems with an S-shaped I-phi(DL) characteristic in wide and well-accessible parameter ranges. This unusual pattern-forming instability in electrochemical systems has all the characteristics of the mechanism proposed by Turing in 1952 in the framework of an early theory of morphogenesis. Our finding might account for structure formation in certain biological systems that have gradients in the electric potential and may open new paths for fabricating patterned electrodes.

Journal Article↗

Spatial bifurcations of fixed points and limit cycles during the electrochemical oxidation of H2 on Pt ring-electrodes.

Pattern formation during the oscillatory oxidation of H2 on Pt ring-electrodes in the presence of electrosorbing ions was studied under potentiostatic control for three different positions of the reference electrode (RE). The position of the RE crucially affects the degree of the global feedback which is imposed by the potentiostatic operation mode, and the three configurations selected corresponded to zero, maximum and intermediate global coupling. In the absence of global coupling, 'communication' among different positions occurs exclusively through migration coupling (the electrochemical counterpart to diffusion in reaction-diffusion systems). In this case, spatially inhomogeneous oscillations that were attributed to a spatial bifurcation of the homogeneous limit cycle were observed throughout. This implies that the system is Benjamin-Feir unstable. For the strongest global coupling adjustable, travelling pulses were found that emerged in a wave bifurcation with n = 1 from the homogeneous steady state. The pulses exhibited modulations in velocity and width that most likely resulted from the interaction between inhomogeneities of the catalytic surface and the nonlinear reaction dynamics. In the case of an intermediate global coupling strength, a diversity of spatio-temporal motions was observed. The dynamics ranged from pulses over target patterns and so-called asymmetric target patterns to mixed states where two or three of these states alternate. For some parameters these mixed states were in addition separated by bursts of the system to a nearly homogeneous unreactive state.

Journal Article↗

Interpretation of biomechanical simulations of normal and chaotic vocal fold oscillations with empirical eigenfunctions.

Empirical orthogonal eigenfunctions are extracted from biomechanical simulations of normal and chaotic vocal fold oscillations. For normal phonation, two dominant empirical eigenfunctions capture the vibration patterns of the folds and exhibit a 1:1 entrainment. The eigenfunctions show some correspondence to theoretical low-order normal modes of a simplified, three-dimensional elastic continuum, and to the normal modes of a linearized two-mass model. The eigenfunctions also facilitate a physical interpretation of energy transfer mechanisms in vocal fold dynamics. Subharmonic regimes and chaotic oscillations are observed during simulations of a lax cover, in which case at least three empirical eigenfunctions are necessary to capture the resulting vocal fold oscillations. These chaotic oscillations might be understood in terms of a desynchronization of a few of the low-order modes, and may be related to mechanisms of creaky voice or vocal fry. Furthermore, some of the empirical eigenfunctions captured during complex oscillations correspond to higher-order normal modes described in earlier theoretical work. The empirical eigenfunctions may also be useful in the design of lower-order models (valid over the range for which the empirical eigenfunctions remain more or less constant), and may help facilitate bifurcation analyses of the biomechanical simulation.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗

One-electron reduction of halothane and formation of halide ions in aqueous solutions.

Formation of Br- and, under certain conditions also F- ions has been observed in the radiation chemically induced one-electron reduction of the anesthetic halothane (2-bromo-2-chloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane) in aqueous solutions. The initial step is the release of Br- and formation of the 2-chloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethyl radical. The latter can react via competing pathways including H-atom abstraction, addition of molecular oxygen and further reduction by an antioxidant. All of these three competitive routes lead to different product patterns. High yields of F- ions are observed under anaerobic conditions in the presence of antioxidants such as ascorbate, propyl-gallate, etc. The fluoride elimination is strongly pH-dependent and seems to occur in various steps after initiation through reduction of the (CF3CHCl) radical. The implication for biochemical studies on the metabolism of halothane under different oxygen concentrations is discussed.

Antioxidants↗