Electrophoresis, Vol.27, No.3, 513-518, 2006
Oscillating electrolytes
Chemical oscillations are driven by the gradient of the chemical potential so that they can appear in systems where the substances are not in chemical equilibrium. We show that under the influence of the electric field, concentrations of electrically charged substances in solutions can oscillate even if the system is in chemical equilibrium. The driving force here is not the gradient of the chemical potential but rather the gradient of the electric potential. Utilizing CE we found periodic structures invoked by the application of a constant driving voltage in BGEs possessing complex eigenmobilities. By analogy with the behavior of dynamic systems, complex eigenmobilities implicate that the system will be unstable. Instead of forming system zones (system peaks) in the separation channel (capillary) the originally uniform concentration of electrolyte constituents becomes periodically disturbed when the electric current passes through it.
Keywords:background electrolyte;chemical oscillation;dynamic system;electrolyte solution;sebacic acid