Influence of multipolar correlations and surface imperfections on the efficiency of diffusion-controlled reactive processes on molecular organizates and colloidal catalysts

A stochastic-mechanical lattice model is introduced and extensive calculation are performed to assess the role of multipolar correlations and surface imperfections in influencing the efficiacy of encounter-controlled reactive processes on the surface of a molecular organizate or colloidal catalyst particle. The role of repulsive potentials in influencing the reaction efficiency is straightforward: the reaction time increases with increase in the strength of the potential with the influence on the reaction rate (much) more pronounced than for attractive potentials. Finally, the relevance of our study to two experimental systems [the dismutation reaction of Br₂^- ion radicals in aqueous solution in the presence of CTAB micelles and the photochemical production of H₂ from water via the reaction of the reduced radical cation of methyl viologen with a colloidal platinum catalyst (Pt_c)] is brought our.