Self-oscillating microgels with Fe(phen) sub(3) catalyst induced by the BZ reaction under acid-free conditions

A novel self-oscillating microgels were prepared by copolymerization N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm), organic acid and iron(II) 5-acrylamide-1,10-phenanthroline-bi (1,10-phenanthroline) (Fe(phen) sub(3)), the catalyst for the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction. The microgels were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope (SEM). In order to illustrate the self-oscillating mechanism, the static water contact angles of the oxidized and reduced states of self-oscillating microgels were measured. In addition, the self-oscillating behaviors of the microgels were investigated in BZ system under acid-free conditions. Both the redox potential and transmittance self-oscillating were observed at room temperature.