Electrokinetic display system
First Claim
1. A method for displaying chemical concentrations and gradients associated therewith, comprising forming in an electrochemical cell a starting electrolyte which contains at least one reagent which during electrolysis forms reaction product species that react chemically substantially reversibly, said electrochemical cell having at least two spaced electrodes extending in and defining a current path in said electrolyte and having a wall at least part of which is transparent and a second wall extending in spaced relation along opposite sides of said current path, the distance between said walls across said path being no greater than about three inches and between said electrodes being such that the ratio of the interelectrode distance to the interwall distance is at least about 5 to 1, said electrolyte during electrolysis containing electrolysis reaction-product species movable along said path in the space between the cell electrodes, said reagent being selected from the group consisting of (a) self-indicating reagents the reaction products of which provide one or more indications of the chemical concentration thereof, (b) reagents which include an indicator reagent that provides one or more indications of the presence of electrolysis reaction products, and (c) mixtures of (a) and (b), and passing at least enough current in one direction between the cell electrodes to establish at least one flow of electrolysis reaction-products in said electrolyte along said path between said electrodes visible through the transparent wall and accompanied by a chemical concentration gradient.
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Abstract
An electrokinetic display system in which zones or patterns of different chemical concentrations and gradients associated therewith are displayed in an electrochemical cell. The electrolyte contains reagents which take part in a reversible reaction during electrolysis. The reagents are self-indicating or include an indicator, or can be mixtures of both. Gas evolved at the electrodes is prevented from mixing the electrolyte too vigorously. D.C. current is passed between the cell electrodes in one direction long enough to establish a visible flow in the electrolyte. The use of reagents which take part in redox reactions or in which a reversible change in pH takes place is set forth. In a preferred embodiment, the active species in the electrolyte including the electrolysis reaction products are accelerated by a magnetic field transverse to the electric current path. Arrangements for widely varying the visible or multicolored eddy current patterns generated are set forth including moving the magnetic field, varying the current as by reversing and/or interrupting the current, and using alternating current. Also set forth are arrangements for excluding pH or redox indictors from the region of the electrodes.
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Citations
70 Claims
- 1. A method for displaying chemical concentrations and gradients associated therewith, comprising forming in an electrochemical cell a starting electrolyte which contains at least one reagent which during electrolysis forms reaction product species that react chemically substantially reversibly, said electrochemical cell having at least two spaced electrodes extending in and defining a current path in said electrolyte and having a wall at least part of which is transparent and a second wall extending in spaced relation along opposite sides of said current path, the distance between said walls across said path being no greater than about three inches and between said electrodes being such that the ratio of the interelectrode distance to the interwall distance is at least about 5 to 1, said electrolyte during electrolysis containing electrolysis reaction-product species movable along said path in the space between the cell electrodes, said reagent being selected from the group consisting of (a) self-indicating reagents the reaction products of which provide one or more indications of the chemical concentration thereof, (b) reagents which include an indicator reagent that provides one or more indications of the presence of electrolysis reaction products, and (c) mixtures of (a) and (b), and passing at least enough current in one direction between the cell electrodes to establish at least one flow of electrolysis reaction-products in said electrolyte along said path between said electrodes visible through the transparent wall and accompanied by a chemical concentration gradient.
- 20. An electrokinetic display apparatus for displaying chemical concentrations and gradients associated therewith, comprising means forming an electrochemical cell adapted for containing a starting electrolyte made up of at least one reagent which during electrolysis forms reaction product species that react chemically substantially reversibly, said cell having front and back wall members extending in spaced relation with at least part of said front wall member being substantially transparent and forming a viewing plane, said cell having at least two electrodes in predetermined spaced relation to each other and defining a current path in said electrolyte along which said viewing plane extends, the distance between said front and back wall members in the direction normal to said viewing plane and across said current path being no greater than about 3 inches and the ratio of the interelectrode distance to the interwall distance being at least about 5 to 1, said reagent being selected from the group consisting of (a) self-indicating reagents the reaction products of which provide one or more indications of the chemical concentration thereof, (b) reagents which include an indicator reagent that provides one or more indications of the presence of electrolysis reaction products, and (c) mixtures of (a) and (b), and means for passing at least enough current in one direction between the cell electrodes to establish at least one visible flow of electrolysis reaction-products in said electrolyte along said path accompanied by a chemical concentration gradient, said visible flow being visible at said viewing plane.
- 50. A method for displaying chemical concentrations and gradients associated therewith, comprising forming in an electrochemical cell a starting electrolyte which contains at least one reagent which during electrolysis forms reaction product species that react substantially reversibly, said electrochemical cell having at least two spaced electrodes extending in and defining a current path in said electolyte and having a transparent wall and a second wall extending in close spaced relation along opposite sides of said current path, the distance between said walls across said path being small compared to the distance between said electrodes, said electrolyte during electrolysis containing electrolysis reaction-product species movable along said path in the space between the cell electrodes, said reagent being selected from the group consisting of (a) self-indicating reagents the reaction products of which provide one or more indications of the chemical concentration thereof, (b) reagents which include an indicator reagent that provides one or more indications of the presence of electrolysis reaction products, and (c) mixtures of (a) and (b), passing at least enough current in one direction between the cell electrodes to establish at least one flow of electrolysis reaction-products in said electrolyte along said path between said electrodes visible through said transparent wall and accompanied by a chemical concentration gradient, and magnetically inducing a change in the acceleration of electrolysis reaction products in the electrolyte.
Specification