LIGHT-INDUCED SPATIOTEMPORAL PATTERNS IN THE FERROIN-CATALYZED BELOUSOV-ZHABOTINSKII REACTION

Effects of illumination on the ferroin-catalyzed Belousov-Zhabotinskii reaction system were studied by using a visible light. The bulk chemical oscillation became slower in the illuminated area. Consequently, various chemical waves were initiated at the boundary between illuminated and non-illuminated areas. Such light-induced phenomena are similar to those observed in the tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium (II)-catalyzed system which is a typical light-sensitive photochemical one. Their behaviors strongly depended on the illumination time given on the basis of the period of oscillation in the non-illuminated area: in the case of illumination during one period, the change in contrast of the projected image occurred periodically. Under illumination during more than two periods, the contour of the projected image was formed at the boundary, and propagated to shrink towards the center of the projected image.