ON THE NATURE OF THE SPONTANEOUS OSCILLATIONS OBSERVED FOR THE KOPER-SLUYTERS ELECTROCATALYTIC REACTION

The study of an electrocatalytic mechanism is presented, Closed form s olutions are given for the steady-state behaviour, facilitating the li near stability analysis. It is shown that two types of oscillations ma y be exhibited for this self-oscillating electrocatalytic reaction: sm all amplitude harmonic oscillations and large amplitude relaxation osc illations. The existence of these oscillations and their form depend o n the reaction conditions. The Hopf bifurcation is supercritical and s mall amplitude harmonic oscillations exist only over a very narrow ran ge of electrode potentials, The electrocatalytic reaction behaviour is that of a so-called 'canard'. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.