On the Mechanism of Oscillations in the ``Beating Mercury Heart''

The discovery of a class of electrochemical-mechanical oscillators-similar to the beating mercury heart -are reported and characterized. Chemical and physical effects on the voltage-time oscillations in these systems have been measured and a mechanism consistent with these effects is given. Interesting cross-catalytic effects involving the electrocapillarity of mercury are proposed to be the origin of the oscillations in these systems.