Growth Mechanism and Crystal Ordering of Spherulitic Patterns in a Belousov-Zhabotinsky Type Reaction System

Three types of spherulitic morphologies have been investigated in dual substrate mode of Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) type reaction system. Prior to growth of spherulites, three distinct patterning behaviors have been observed sequentially during the reaction process. Initial and the early-phase of reaction showed the emergence of concentric ring-like wave patterns. A colloidal-state of reaction consists of numerous fine solid particles, which forms primarily some nucleation centers of dendritic characters. The nucleation centers were found to grow in sizes and shapes with the progress of reaction. It leads to growth of dendritic-like spherulitic crystal patterns. The resultant spherulites showed transitions in their morphologies, including sea-weeds and rhythmic spherulitic crystal patterns, by the effects substituted organic substrate and in the higher concentration of bromate-initiator respectively. The branching mechanism and crystal ordering of spherulitic textures were studied with help of optical microscope (OPM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Characteristics of crystal phases were also evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). Results indicated that the compositions of reactants and crystal orderings were interrelated with morphological transitions of spherulites as illustrated and described.