IMMOBILIZED CATALYST OF THE BZR IN GELATINOUS MATRIX - PROPAGATION OF AUTOWAVES AT CATALYST-FREE SPLITS OF THE MATRIX

Immobilization of the catalyst of the Belousov-Zhabotinskii-Reaction in gelatinous layers allows stationary experiments by feeding this layer with catalyst-free reagent. Hydrodynamic disturbances are prohibited. The coupling of autowaves across catalyst-free splits is studied. Decreasing permeability due to larger width of the split leads to defined and finite damping and retardation of through-coupling waves, and even to frequency conversion, respectively increasing wave-lengths. The critical coupling distance is found to be in the range 40 to 150-mu-m, and about proportional to the wave-length. Chance processes in splitting the layer and nucleation of autowaves give the possibility of spontaneous originating of more-armed spirals and of spiral-arms' procession around segments of barriers.