Patterns Produced by Precipitation at a Moving Reaction Front

Abstract

Many precipitation patterns are associated with the formation of a sparingly soluble product at a moving reaction front. This paper describes a model which describes the transport, reaction, nucleation, and droplet-growth kinetics of the processes involved. It is established that the rapid change in the nucleation rate as a function of the supersaturation is essential for pattern formation. The model allows us to correlate details of the patterns with the various kinetic processes.