Generalizations of a Theorem of Datko and Pazy

This note gives necessary and sufficient conditions for exponential stability of semigroups of linear operators in Banach spaces. Generalizations of a well-known result due to Datko, Pazy and Neerven are obtained for the case of semigroups of operators that are not strongly continuous.     

Spectroscopic investigations on polypropylene‐carbon nanofiber composites. I. Raman and electron spin resonance spectroscopy

Isotactic polypropylene‐vapor grown carbon nanofiber composites containing various fractions of carbon nanofibers, ranging from 0 to 20 wt %, have been prepared. Raman spectroscopy was used to analyze the effect of the dispersion of carbon nanofibers within polypropylene and the interactions between carbon nanofibers and macromolecular chains. The as‐recorded Raman spectra have been successfully fitted by a linear convolution of Lorentzian lines. Changes of the Raman lines parameters (position, intensity, width, and area) of polypropylene and carbon nanofibers were analyzed in detail. The Raman spectra of the polymeric matrix—at low concentrations of nanofibers—show important modifications that indicate strong interactions between carbon nanofibers and the polymeric matrix reflecting by vibrational dephasing of macromolecular chains. The Raman spectrum of carbon nanofibers is sensitive to the loading with carbon nanofibers, showing changes of the resonance frequencies, amplitudes, and width for both D‐ and G‐bands. Raman data reveals the increase of the disorder, as the concentration of carbon nanofibers is increased. The presence of the typical ESR line assigned to conducting electrons delocalized over carbon nanofibers is confirmed and the presence of a spurious magnetic line due to catalyst's residues is reported. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 1644–1652, 2009     

Identification strategies for flame retardants employing time‐of‐flight mass spectrometric detectors along with spectral and spectra‐less databases

In the past, the preferred strategy for the identification of unknown compounds was to search in an appropriate mass spectral database for spectra obtained using either electron ionisation (GC‐MS analyses) or collision‐induced dissociation (LC‐MS/MS analyses). Recently, an increase has been seen in the use of accurate mass instruments and spectra‐less databases, based on monoisotopic accurate mass alone. In this article, we describe a systematic workflow for the screening and identification of new flame retardants. This approach utilises LC‐quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight MS and spectra‐less databases based only on monoisotopic accurate mass for the identification of ‘unknowns’. An in‐house database was built, and the input parameters used in the data analysis process were optimised for flame retardant chemicals, so that it can be easily transferred to other laboratories. The procedure was successfully applied to dust, foam and textiles from car interiors and indoor consumer products. The developed method was demonstrated for the main new flame retardant present in Antiblaze V6 and for the three unreported reaction by‐products/impurities present in the same technical mixture. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Functionals on function and sequence spaces connected with the exponential stability of evolutionary processes

The exponential stability property of an evolutionary process is characterized in terms of the existence of some functionals on certain function spaces. Thus are generalized some well-known results obtained by Datko, Rolewicz, Littman and Van Neerven.     

A study on galvanic degradation of dental amalgam using activation analysis assessments

The method of neutron activation and gamma-ray spectrometry was used for studying galvanic corrosion of dental amalgam. The behaviour of galvanic couples of zinc containing and zinc free amalgam with dissimilar electrodes from other restorative material was investigated in various electrolytic media, in absence and presence of oxygen. Severe corrosion of amalgam takes place when coupled with gold electrodes.     

New insight into phase change memories

The switching mechanism in phase change memories was described on the basis of minimum switching unit: the commuton. A commuton is a minimum cluster of atoms that supports a reversible phase change from high to low electrical conduction state and back under the influence of an external signal. The switching process in a phase change chalcogenide film was modeled using two dimensional cellular automata approach. A system of 50 × 50 cells, each cell containing a commuton, was simulated. In the particular case of Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ (investigated here) this system corresponds to a 30 × 30 nm area. The formation of the percolation path as a function of phase change induced in commutons explains the switching phenomenon. The influence of the percent of defects in the material on the percolation threshold has been studied.     

Instability of spikes in the presence of conservation laws

We show that spikes are unstable in a class of scalar reaction–diffusion equations coupled to a general conservation law. Our class includes the Keller–Segel model for chemotaxis, phase-field models and models for chemical reactions in closed chemical reactors.     

Cyanide reaction with ninhydrin: elucidation of reaction and interference mechanisms.

A new sensitive spectrophotometric method has recently been developed for the trace determination of cyanide with ninhydrin. Cyanide ion was supposed to act as a specific base catalyst. Nevertheless, this paper demonstrates that the reported assay is based on a novel reaction of cyanide with 2,2-dihydroxy-1,3-indanedione, which affords purple or blue colored salts of 2-cyano-1,2,3-trihydroxy-2H indene. Hydrindantin is merely an intermediary of the reaction. The formation of a stable and isolable ninhydrin-cyanide compound has been confirmed by its preparation in crystalline form. Also, it is thoroughly characterized by elemental as well as MS, IR, UV/VIS and 1H NMR analyses. The Ruhemann's sequence of reactions of cyanide with ninhydrin has been reconsidered and an adequate mechanism of the reaction is proposed. As a consequence, the interference of oxidizers as well as copper, silver and mercury ions with the cyanide determination has been elucidated.     

Heat affected zones in polymer laser marking

Laser marking is based on the laser heating of the subjected material, the heating being below the melting temperature or thermal degradation starting point. Within and nearby the mark, the material is chemically, physically and mechanically affected. This means that the main characteristics are changing in such a way that the material is ageing. Thermal and mechanical analysis can be used to determine the modification of the material, which is important and necessary to know for predicting its use lifetime. This paper investigates the physical and mechanical modification of the polymer HDPE100, when laser marking is applied. Burst stress, elongation and relaxation modulus were determined for the base material, within the heat affected zone and within the laser burned mark. Information on the crystallization rate and on the elongation viscosity is also reported. According to the results, the polyethylene has very fast crystallization and that affects the marking process if lower than appropriate maintaining during heating process is applied. It becomes stabile after 0.23 min, when it is tested at 103 °C. The elongation viscosity was analysed and values of 10⁵ Pa s were recorded for 10 s, which is a usual time of applying pressure. The performed analysis revealed about 10 % difference between the relaxation modulus of the irradiated and non-irradiated HDPE.     

The Dichotomy Theorem for evolution bi-families

We prove that the operator G, the closure of the first-order differential operator −d/dt+D(t) on L₂(R,X), is Fredholm if and only if the not well-posed equation u^′(t)=D(t)u(t), t∈R, has exponential dichotomies on R₊ and R₋ and the ranges of the dichotomy projections form a Fredholm pair; moreover, the index of this pair is equal to the Fredholm index of G. Here X is a Hilbert space, D(t)=A+B(t), A is the generator of a bi-semigroup, B(⋅) is a bounded piecewise strongly continuous operator-valued function. Also, we prove some perturbations results and consider various examples of not well-posed problems.