Synchronized and symmetry broken cluster patterns of oscillatory electrochemical reactions in complex networks with 3D placement of electrodes
摘要
We explored the nonlinear dynamics of oscillatory electrochemical reactions, which are coupled through migration currents with small sets (2–4) of electrodes placed on the top and the bottom of a flow cell. The analysis of the migration current revealed that the electrode potential differences induce an interaction network with complex topology; this coupling topology was experimentally verified with oscillatory nickel electrodissolution in the form of synchronization patterns. With two electrodes, strong coupling induced synchronized patterns with low cell resistance and large distance to the reservoir. With four electrodes, arranged in pairs along the flow channel facing each other, the theory predicted that strong coupling exists between the two upstream electrodes, with the coupling between all other pairs remaining the same. This network topology was also confirmed when phase-repulsive external feedback was applied, resulting in a nontrivial, symmetry-broken, three cluster synchronization pattern. Additionally, a data-driven network inference technique was employed to verify the predicted topologies. These findings demonstrate that 3D placement of electrodes offers new alternatives for studying networks and nonlinear phenomena in electrochemical cells. Identification and design of complex networks could aid kinetic studies and analytical detections of highly nonlinear electrochemical systems, e.g., with microfluidic sensor arrays.