Control of oscillating behavior for the self-oscillating polymer with pH-control site.

A novel self-oscillating polymer was prepared by copolymerizing the catalyst for the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction with N-isopropylacrylamide. Further, by introducing acrylamide-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) with a sulfonic acid group as a pH-control site into the polymer, self-oscillation under acid-free conditions was achieved. The period and amplitude for the self-oscillation is controllable by changing the composition of the polymer. On-off switching of self-oscillation is also possible by changing temperature or substrate concentrations. The AMPS plays an important role not only to control the pH but also to change the solubility of the polymer.