Reception and detection of chemical signaling by electrochemical oscillators

An experimental setup is designed in order to achieve unidirectional chemical coupling of an electrochemical oscillator and imitate neural synaptic transmission. The electrochemical oscillator is an iron electrode immersed in sulfuric acid solution and the chemical interaction is achieved via the flow of chloride ions towards the electrochemical interface, controlled by a peristaltic pump. The electrochemical interface responds to chemical pulses by producing periodic electric oscillations, electric bursts or electric spikes, depending on the interface potential. The type of electrical response to chemical interactions is determined by the topology of the phase space close to the bifurcation points.