Robust synchronization of a class of uncertain chaotic systems based on quadratic optimal theory and adaptive strategy

This paper presents a chaos synchronization method for a class of uncertain chaotic systems using the combination of an optimal control theory and an adaptive strategy. A quadratic optimal regulator and an adaptive control are used to represent the controller's structure. The asymptotic stability of the corresponding error dynamical system is guaranteed through Lyapunov stability analysis. The proposed controller is employed in two uncertain chaotic Lu systems, and their promising performances are illustrated.     

Collocation discretization for an integral equation in ocean acoustics with depth‐dependent speed of sound

We analyze two collocation schemes for the Helmholtz equation with depth‐dependent sonic wave velocity, modeling time‐harmonic acoustic wave propagation in a three‐dimensional inhomogeneous ocean of finite height. Both discretization schemes are derived from a periodized version of the Lippmann‐Schwinger integral equation that equivalently describes the sound wave. The eigenfunctions of the corresponding periodized integral operator consist of trigonometric polynomials in the horizontal variables and eigenfunctions to some Sturm‐Liouville operator linked to the background profile of the sonic wave velocity in the vertical variable. Applying an interpolation projection onto a space spanned by finitely many of these eigenfunctions to either the unknown periodized wave field or the integral operator yields two different collocation schemes. A convergence estimate of Sloan [J. Approx. Theory, 39:97–117, 1983] on non‐polynomial interpolation allows to show converge of both schemes, together with algebraic convergence rates depending on the smoothness of the inhomogeneity and the source. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Homogenization Efficiency of Two Immiscible Fluids in Static Mixer Using Droplet Tracking Technique

Comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of two-phase flow agitation is essential to control the mixing performance in chemical processes. The aim of the present study is to understand mixing behavior of two phase flow emulsification process in details by utilizing a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) scheme and predicting the flow characteristics of O/W emulsion in a Kenics static mixer (KSM) operating as an in line continuous homogenizer. The overall study is carried out in three steps: (a) a turbulent flow analysis, to obtain an overall characteristic of the emulsion resulting in CFD model and (b) comparing theoretical data of model with those of experimental studies in order to validate the CFD approach; (c) a droplet tracking step, to extensively study the distribution of marked droplets during the mixing procedure. To achieve this goal, the individual droplets being numerically labeled and visually colored regarding their droplet size; a quantitatively scrutiny of mixing for the droplet distribution was introduced. As a result, the droplet tracking using CFD has successfully evaluated the mixing performance and is proposed as a practical numerical scheme for predicting the KSM behavior.     

Transition metal-catalyzed intermolecular [5+2] and [5+2+1] cycloadditions of allenes and vinylcyclopropanes

Initial examples of the intermolecular Rh(I)-catalyzed [5+2] cycloaddition reaction of bifunctional allenes and vinylcyclopropanes are described. The reactions proceed with facility and in yields of up to 99% with a variety of alkyne-, ester-, styrene-, or cyano-substituents on the allene to afford the corresponding cycloadducts. In the presence of CO, the reaction proceeds to an eight-membered ring cycloadduct and its transannularly closed product, providing the first example of a three-component [5+2+1] cycloaddition with allenes.     

Screening, library-assisted identification and validated quantification of 23 benzodiazepines, flumazenil, zaleplone, zolpidem and zopiclone in plasma by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

A liquid chromatographic/mass spectrometric assay with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (LC/APCI-MS) is presented for fast and reliable screening and identification and also for precise and sensitive quantification in plasma of the 23 benzodiazepines alprazolam, bromazepam, brotizolam, camazepam, chlordiazepoxide, clobazam, clonazepam, diazepam, flunitrazepam, flurazepam, desalkylflurazepam, lorazepam, lormetazepam, medazepam, metaclazepam, midazolam, nitrazepam, nordazepam, oxazepam, prazepam, temazepam and tetrazepam, triazolam, their antagonist flumazenil and the benzodiazepine BZ1 (omega 1) receptor agonists zaleplone, zolpidem and zopiclone. It allows confirmation of the diagnosis of an overdose situation and monitoring of psychiatric patients' compliance. The analytes were isolated from plasma using liquid-liquid extraction and were separated on a Merck LiChroCART column with Superspher 60 RP Select B as the stationary phase. Gradient elution was performed using aqueous ammonium formate and acetonitrile. After screening and identification in the scan mode using the authors' LC/MS library, the analytes were quantified in the selected-ion monitoring mode. The quantification assay was fully validated. It was found to be selective proved to be linear from sub-therapeutic to over therapeutic concentrations for all analytes, except bromazepam. The corresponding reference levels the assay's accuracy and precision data for all studied substances are listed. The accuracy and precision data were within the required limits with the exception of those for bromazepam. The analytes were stable in frozen plasma for at least 1 month. The validated assay was successfully applied to several authentic plasma samples from patients treated or intoxicated with various benzodiazepines or with zaleplone, zolpidem or zopiclone. It has proven to be appropriate for the isolation, separation, screening, identification and quantification of the drugs mentioned above in plasma for clinical toxicology, e.g. in cases of poisoning, and forensic toxicology, e.g. in cases of driving under the influence of drugs.     

A Mixed Ionic and Electronic Conducting Dual‐Phase Membrane with High Oxygen Permeability

To combine good chemical stability and high oxygen permeability, a mixed ionic‐electronic conducting (MIEC) 75 wt % Ce_0.85Gd_0.1Cu_0.05O_2?δ‐25 wt % La_0.6Ca_0.4FeO_3?δ (CGCO‐LCF) dual‐phase membrane based on a MIEC–MIEC composite has been developed. Copper doping into Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_2?δ (CGO) oxide enhances both ionic and electronic conductivity, which then leads to a change from ionic conduction to mixed conduction at elevated temperatures. For the first time we demonstrate that an intergranular film with 2–10 nm thickness containing Ce, Ca, Gd, La, and Fe has been formed between the CGCO grains in the CGCO‐LCF one‐pot dual‐phase membrane. A high oxygen permeation flux of 0.70 mL min^?1 cm^?2 is obtained by the CGCO‐LCF one‐pot dual‐phase membrane with 0.5 mm thickness at 950 °C using pure CO₂ as the sweep gas, and the membrane shows excellent stability in the presence of CO₂ even at lower temperatures (800 °C) during long‐term operation.     

Hydrogen Production by Water Dissociation in Surface‐Modified BaCoxFeyZr1−x−yO3−δ Hollow‐Fiber Membrane Reactor with Improved Oxygen Permeation

A porous perovskite BaCo_xFe_yZr_0.9?x?yPd_0.1O_3?δ (BCFZ‐Pd) coating was deposited onto the outer surface of a BaCo_xFe_yZr_1?x?yO_3?δ (BCFZ) perovskite hollow‐fiber membrane. The surface morphology of the modified BCFZ fiber was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), indicating the formation of a BCFZ‐Pd porous layer on the outer surface of a dense BCFZ hollow‐fiber membrane. The oxygen permeation flux of the BCFZ membrane with a BCFZ‐Pd porous layer increased 3.5 times more than that of the blank BCFZ membrane when feeding reactive CH₄ onto the permeation side of the membrane. The blank BCFZ membrane and surface‐modified BCFZ membrane were used as reactors to shift the equilibrium of thermal water dissociation for hydrogen production because they allow the selective removal of the produced oxygen from the water dissociation system. It was found that the hydrogen production rate increased from 0.7 to 2.1 mL H₂ min^?1 cm^?2 at 950 °C after depositing a BCFZ‐Pd porous layer onto the BCFZ membrane.     

Determination of Hydrogen Single Ion Activity Coefficients in Aqueous HCl Solutions at 25°C

The single ion activity coefficients of hydrogen and chloride ions in aqueous HCl solutions have been estimated at 25°C at concentrations up to 1 mol-kg^–1, using potentiometric measurements with ion-selective electrodes and appropriate calibration procedures. Two methods are described for an internal calibration of the electrodes in the extended Debye–Hückel concentration range. The results are compared to the conventional pH calibration with external buffer solutions. Since the latter calibration method does not account for the liquid junction potential E _J which arises at the reference electrode, the resulting activity coefficients are quite different in HCl solutions of higher concentration. These differences between internal and external calibration decrease significantly, when a correction for E _J is introduced into the conventional pH calibration. Hence, in solutions of higher ionic strength the accuracy of the conventional pH electrode calibration using buffer solutions is very limited, when exact H⁺ activities are required. The consistency of the results indicates that the liquid junction potentials in the examined systems calculated by the Henderson/Bates approximation are of reasonable precision.     

Reply to the comment by F. Malatesta on: “Factorizing of a concentration function for the mean activity coefficients of aqueous strong electrolytes into individual functions for ionic species” by A. Ferse and H.-O. Müller

The arguments of Malatesta (J Solution Chem 29:771–779, 2000; Fluid Phase Equil 295:244–248, 2010) exclude the experimental determination of individual ion activity coefficients. I agree that a measurement of single-ion activity coefficients is impossible. But the comment of Malatesta (J Solid State Electrochem (in press), 2011) in the connection with the purely mathematical procedure developed by Ferse and Müller (J Solid State Electrochem (in press), 2011) is senseless because there is no new aspect which is not also given in the paper of Ferse and Müller (J Solid State Electrochem (in press), 2011). All of the mentioned problems are already discussed and clarified in the publication by Ferse and Müller (J Solid State Electrochem (in press), 2011). The purely mathematical method is a possibility to obtain the concentration functions for the individual activity coefficients of the complementary ion species by factorizing a product function of the experimentally accessible concentration dependence of the mean activity coefficients to the required power.