Liesegang patterns: Complex formation of precipitate in an electric field

Abstract

Formation of 1D Liesegang patterns was studied numerically in precipitation and reversible complex formation of precipitate scenarios in an electric field. The Ostwald’s supersaturation model reported by Buki, Kárpáti-Smidróczki and Zrínyi (BKZ model) was extended further. In the presence of an electric field the position of the first and the last bands (X _n) measured from the junction point of the outer and the inner electrolytes can be described by the functionX _n =a ₁τ ^1/2_n +a ₂τ_n +a ₃, where τ_n is the time elapsed until the nth band formation,a ₁,a ₂ anda ₃ are constants. The variation of the total number of bands with different electric field strengths (ε) has a maximum. For higher ε one can observe a moving precipitation zone that becomes wider due to precipitation and reversible complex formation.