Modification of Polylactide Nonwovens with Carbon Nanotubes and Ladder Poly(silsesquioxane)

Electrospun nonwovens of poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) modified with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and linear ladder-like poly(silsesquioxane) with methoxycarbonyl side groups (LPSQ-COOMe) were obtained. MWCNT and LPSQ-COOMe were added to the polymer solution before the electrospinning. In addition, nonwovens of PLLA grafted to modified MWCNT were electrospun. All modified nonwovens exhibited higher tensile strength than the neat PLA nonwoven. The addition of 10 wt.% of LPSQ-COOMe and 0.1 wt.% of MWCNT to PLLA increased the tensile strength of the nonwovens 2.4 times, improving also the elongation at the maximum stress.     

The character and the wave front set correspondence in the stable range

We relate the distribution characters and the wave front sets of unitary representation for real reductive dual pairs of type I in the stable range.     

Stability of vertices in random boolean cellular automata

Based on computer simulations, Kauffman (Physica D, 10, 145-156, 1984) made several generalizations about a random Boolean cellular automaton which he invented as a model of cellular metabolism. Here we give the first rigorous proofs of two of Kauffman's generalizations: a large fraction of vertices stabilize quickly, consequently the length of cycles in the automaton's behavior is small compared to that of a random mapping with the same number of states; and reversal of the states of a large fraction of the vertices does not affect the cycle to which the automaton moves.     

Cycles in a random graph near the critical point

Let G(n, M) be a graph chosen at random from the family of all labelled graphs with n vertices and M(n) = 0.5n + s(n) edges, where s³(n)n^?2→∞ but s(n) = o(n). We find the limit distribution of the length of shortest cycle contained in the largest component of G(n, M), as well as of the longest cycle outside it. We also describe the block structure of G(n, M) and derive from this result the limit probability that G(n, M) contains a cycle with a diagonal. Finally, we show that the probability tending to 1 as n-→∞ the length of the longest cycle in G(n, M) is of the order s²(n)/n.     

Extraction-ability and -selectivity of tetra-aza-crown ethers for transition metal cations

In order to investigate the relative effects of the differences between the structures and lipophilicities of 1, 10-dioxa-4, 7, 13, 16-tetra-azacyclo-octadecane (TA-18-crown-6) and the tetrabenzyl derivative of 1,10-dioxa-4, 7, 13, 16-tetra-azacyclo-octadecane (TBTA-18-crown-6) on their extraction-abilities and -selectivities for transition metal cations, constants of the overall extraction (logK _ex) of 1:1 (M:L) complexes, the distribution (K _D) for two diluents (CH₂Cl₂ and CHCl₃) with different dielectric constants have been determined at 25 ± 0.1 °C. The magnitude of logK _ex is largely determined by that of K _D. The equilibrium constants of TA-18-crown-6 have been compared with those of TBTA-18-crown-6. It is found that:(i) logK _ex sequences of TA-18-crown-6 and TBTA-18-crown-6 for transition metals in CH₂Cl₂ lie in order: Fe³⁺ > Cu²⁺ > Mn²⁺ > Co²⁺ > Cd²⁺ > Ni²⁺ > Zn²⁺ and Fe³⁺ > Cu²⁺ > Co²⁺ > Mn²⁺ > Ni²⁺ > Cd²⁺ > Zn²⁺ respectively; (ii) the stability sequences of two types of tetra-aza-crown ethers with the transition metal cations in CHCl₃ are the same as follows: Fe³⁺ > Ni²⁺ > Cu²⁺ > Co²⁺ > Zn²⁺ > Cd²⁺ > Mn²⁺, and (iii) unusual selectivities are observed for transition metal-tetra-aza-crowns, e.g. the high Fe³⁺/M ⁿ⁺ selectivity factors (S_f) of TA-18-crown-6, except for the competitive-extractions for the special case in CHCl₃ of TBTA-18-crown-6, it was found that the Mn²⁺/M ⁿ⁺ values were relatively higher according to the other transition metal cations. A systematic sequence in these two types of solvents is not found for a given transition metal cation in terms of the variation of selectivity with the tetra-aza-crown ethers. The results provide alternatives for the rational design of other specific ligands on the transition metal cations.     

A subdomain boundary element method for high‐Reynolds laminar flow using stream function‐vorticity formulation

The paper presents a new formulation of the integral boundary element method (BEM) using subdomain technique. A continuous approximation of the function and the function derivative in the direction normal to the boundary element (further ‘normal flux’) is introduced for solving the general form of a parabolic diffusion‐convective equation. Double nodes for normal flux approximation are used. The gradient continuity is required at the interior subdomain corners where compatibility and equilibrium interface conditions are prescribed. The obtained system matrix with more equations than unknowns is solved using the fast iterative linear least squares based solver. The robustness and stability of the developed formulation is shown on the cases of a backward‐facing step flow and a square‐driven cavity flow up to the Reynolds number value 50 000. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Topological Simplicity of a Certain LF-Algebra

We show that the LF-algebra considered by Akkar and Nacir in [1] is topologically simple.     

On the role of the interface charge in non-ideal metal–semiconductor contacts

The bias dependent interface charge is considered as the origin of the observed non-ideality in current–voltage and capacitance–voltage characteristics. Using the simplified model for the interface electronic structure based on defects interacting with the continuum of interface states, the microscopic origin of empirical parameters describing the bias dependent interface charge function is investigated. The results show that in non-ideal metal–semiconductor contacts the interface charge function depends on the interface disorder parameter, density of defects, barrier pinning parameter and the effective gap center. The theoretical predictions are tested against several sets of published experimental data on bias dependent ideality factor and excess capacitance in various metal–semicoductor systems.