Light and chemical oscillations: review and perspectives

Publication date: Available online 10 November 2019Source: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry ReviewsAuthor(s): Pier Luigi Gentili, Jean-Claude MicheauAbstractWhen UV-visible radiation interacts with matter, it can play as either a pump, or a developer, or a signal. In this paper, we show that when UV-visible radiation interacts with very-far-from-equilibrium systems, it can exert its threefold role. It can originate oscillations when it works as a pump. It can track the hydrodynamics of fluids by inducing fluorescence or colour formation of specific probes when it works as a developer. Finally, it can affect spontaneous chemical oscillations, chemical waves, Turing patterns, and promote synchronization phenomena when it works as a signal. A cross-disciplinary analysis of many experiments shows that the interplay between UV-visible radiation and very-far-from-equilibrium systems has promising technological applications. Such interaction can be exploited to control the morphology of materials, implement chemical systems for computing, and promote soft robotics. Since dissipative chemical systems exhibit life-like functionalities, this work can be inspirational for those researchers engaged in the study of the origin of life where spontaneous phenomena of self-organization induced by light are relevant.Graphical Abstract

Source: Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology C: Photochemistry Reviews - November 12, 2019 Category: Chemistry Source Type: research