Temperature-compensation in pH-oscillators

Abstract

Temperature independent period length (temperature-compensation) in pH-oscillators has been simulated with a simple general model. Opposing effects of the composite reactions on the period length with changing temperature have been shown to be responsible for this peculiar phenomenon. Experiments have shown that temperature-compensation exists in the oscillatory hydrogen peroxide–sulfite ion–thiosulfate ion flow system in a narrow range of conditions. A simple mechanism with estimated activation energies of the steps was used successfully to simulate the phenomenon.