Self-Generated Convective Flows Enhance the Rates of Chemical Reactions

In chemical solutions, the products of catalytic reactions can occupy different volumes compared to the reactants and thus give rise to local density variations in the fluid. These density variations generate solutal buoyancy forces, which are exerted on the fluid and thus “pump” the fluid to flow....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Langmuir 2022-02, Vol.38 (4), p.1432-1439
Main Authors: Manna, Raj Kumar, Gentile, Kayla, Shklyaev, Oleg E, Sen, Ayusman, Balazs, Anna C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chemistry
Materials Science
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Summary:In chemical solutions, the products of catalytic reactions can occupy different volumes compared to the reactants and thus give rise to local density variations in the fluid. These density variations generate solutal buoyancy forces, which are exerted on the fluid and thus “pump” the fluid to flow. Herein, we examine if the reaction-induced pumping accelerates the chemical reaction by transporting the reactants to the catalyst at a rate faster than passive diffusion. Using both simulations and experiments, we show a significant increase in reaction rate when reaction-generated convective flow is present. In effect, through a feedback loop, catalysts speed up reactions not only by lowering the energy barrier but also by increasing the collision frequency between the reactants and the catalyst.
ISSN:0743-7463
1520-5827
DOI:10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c02593