Redoksipuskurijärjestelmät

Redoksipuskuri is a Finnish term that translates to "redox buffer" in English. A redox buffer is a solution that resists changes in its redox potential, similar to how a pH buffer resists changes in pH. The redox potential of a solution is a measure of its oxidizing or reducing power.

Redox buffers are typically composed of a pair of chemical species that can readily interconvert between oxidized and reduced forms. For example, a common redox buffer system involves iron(II) and iron(III) ions. In this system, the iron(II) ions can be oxidized to iron(III) ions, and the iron(III) ions can be reduced back to iron(II) ions. The presence of both species in a suitable concentration maintains the redox potential within a relatively narrow range.

The principle behind the buffering action is similar to that of a pH buffer. If an oxidizing agent is added to the solution, it will tend to oxidize the reduced species in the buffer. If a reducing agent is added, it will tend to reduce the oxidized species in the buffer. In either case, the equilibrium between the oxidized and reduced forms shifts to counteract the change, thus stabilizing the redox potential.

Redox buffers find applications in various fields, including analytical chemistry, electrochemistry, and biochemistry. They are used to maintain specific redox conditions in experiments, to calibrate electrochemical instruments, and to study redox-dependent biological processes. The effectiveness of a redox buffer depends on the concentrations of the redox couple and the stability of the species involved.