Preface

This issue of Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry contains selected papers based on presentations in the field of thermal characteristics of advanced polymer systems presented at the 8^th International Symposium on Polymers for Advanced Technologies (PAT 2005) held in Budapest, September 2005. Guest Editors     

Lattice valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets

In this paper a new definition of a lattice valued intuitionistic fuzzy set (LIFS) is introduced, in an attempt to overcome the disadvantages of earlier definitions. Some properties of this kind of fuzzy sets and their basic operations are given. The theorem of synthesis is proved: For every two families of subsets of a set satisfying certain conditions, there is an lattice valued intuitionistic fuzzy set for which these are families of level sets. The research supported by Serbian Ministry of Science and Technology, Grant No. 1227.     

Lanthanum nitrate decomposition by both temperature programmed heating and citrate gel combustion

Thermal decomposition of lanthanum nitrate to lanthanum oxide was carried out by both temperature programmed heating (TPH) and citrate-gel combustion. The temperature programmed heating was carried out under flow of oxidizing (air), neutral (nitrogen) and reducing (25 vol.% hydrogen+argone mixture) gases, and the processes were controlled by simultaneous thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis. It was shown that hydrogen atmosphere helps to reduce temperatures of all decomposition steps. The results of TPH were utilized to check the nature of residues in the products of lanthanum nitrate-to-oxide conversion performed via citrate-gel combustion technique.     

Precipitation and characterization of uniform submicrometer lead titanate particles. Part II: Reaction mechanism

The chemical mechanism of the precipitation of lead titanium peroxohydroxide particles in a solution of nitrilotriacetate (NTA) complexes of lead and titanium peroxo-hydroxide is envisioned as the interaction between cations of lead hydroxide and anions of polymeric titanium peroxo-hydroxide.     

Projectivep-algebras

Presented by R. Freese.     

Multiple-scattering-theory analysis of XANES spectra of SO2 adsorbed on Cu(100)

The sulphur K-edge x-ray absorption spectra of SO₂ multilayer and of SO₂ submonolayer adsorbed on Cu(100) are analysed. It is found that the dominant spectral features are of a molecular origin. The results support earlier findings that the SO₂ molecule stands perpendicular to the surface. Use of non-selfconsistent potentials does not lead to a good quantitative agreement between theory and experiment.     

Electrocatalytic activity of sol-gel-prepared RuO2/Ti anode in chlorine and oxygen evolution reactions

Electrocatalytic properties of RuO₂/Ti anode with different coating masses, which are prepared by the alkoxide sol-gel procedure, are investigated in chlorine and oxygen evolution reactions by polarization measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in H₂SO₄ and NaCl electrolytes. According to polarization measurements, the activity of anodes at overpotentials below 100 mV is independent of coating mass. However, impedance measurements above 100 mV reveal changes in the activity of anodes in chlorine evolution reaction for different coating masses. The diffusion limitations related to the evolved chlorine are registered in low-frequency domain at 1.10 V (SCE), diminishing with the increase in potential to the 1.15 V (SCE). The observed impedance behavior is discussed with respect to the activity model for activated titanium anodes in chlorine evolution reaction involving formation of gas channels within porous coating structure. Gas channels enhance the mass transfer rate similarly to the forced convection, which also increases the activity of anode. This is more pronounced for the anode of greater coating mass due to its more compact surface structure. The more compact structure appears to be beneficial for gas channels formation. Published in Russian in Elektrokhimiya, 2006, Vol. 42, No. 10, pp. 1173–1179. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Renormalisation group calculation of the interfacial tension for the three-dimensional Ising model

The interfacial tension of a three-dimensional Ising model in the whole temperature region is calculated by the real-space renormalisation group methods. The cumulant and the finite-cluster approximations with different projection rules are used. The results are consistent with expected low-temperature and global behaviour of the interfacial tension in the three-dimensional model.