Aaron Jones
Hampton University / PhysicsHosted by Fraden's Lab
"The Effects of PDMS on the Belousov-Zhabotinsky Reaction"
Aaron Jones, James Sheehy, Seth Fraden
Abstract
We studied the effect of Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) on the frequency of oscillations in the Belousov Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction performed in a batch reactor. The BZ reaction is an oscillating chemical reaction, that oscillates between an oxidized and reduced state. There is currently research into the coupling of nanoliter-scale BZ reactions using microfluidic devices has applications in the modeling of nerve systems as well as the interactions of neurons. However, we have found that PDMS interacts with the BZ due to an inhibitory molecule. Due to the usage of PDMS in these nanoliter reactions, we tested its effects in a macroscopic solution. Here we illustrate that PDMS reacts with the inhibitor in the BZ reaction and there is an irreversible chemical reaction between the two.
Support: MRSEC REU
A National Science Foundation sponsored Material Research Science and Engineering Center
