Attracting basins in ℙ2

We prove the existence of infinitely many attracting basins for some holomorphic mappings in ℙ². We also show that if a family of mappings has a complex generic homoclinic tangency, then some of the mappings in the family have an attractive periodic fixed point.     

Viscometric and volumetric behaviour of binary mixtures of sulfolane and N-methylpyrrolidone with monoethanolamine and diethanolamine in the range 303–373 K

Capillary viscometry was used to determine the kinematic viscosity of the binary systems composed of N-methylpyrrolidone + monoethanolamine and N-methylpyrrolidone + diethanolamine throughout the concentration range, at eight different temperatures in the range 303.15–373.15 K. Pure component values of viscosity were also determined in the temperature range 303.15–423.15 K. Using a rolling ball viscometer the absolute viscosity was obtained for the binary systems composed of tetramethylene sulfone (sulfolane) + monoethanolamine and tetramethylene sulfone + diethanolamine, throughout the concentration range, at three different temperatures in the range 303.15–373.15 K. Density results were obtained using a vibrating-tube densimeter for the four pure components and the four binary systems studied, in the same temperature range and the whole concentration range for the binary systems as the viscosity measurements.

The experimental viscosity results for the four pure solvents cover a broader temperature range than previously reported by other workers. The experimental results of viscosity for both pure and binary systems show a decrease with increasing temperature as expected. In the case of the binary systems the change of viscosity with concentration for the two sets of mixtures with N-methylpyrrolidone is very large in the range of 303.15–353.15 K, whereas it is small in the range 363.15–373.15 K. The observed behaviour of the change of viscosity with concentration for sulfolane with monoethanolamine is different from that shown by sulfolane with diethanolamine, at 303.15 and 323.15 K; the first system shows a minimum viscosity point in the sulfolane-rich region whereas at 373.15 K it shows values of viscosity greater than that of the pure components in the whole range of concentration; and the second system shows large variations of viscosity at low sulfolane concentration, at 303.15 and 323.15 K; whereas at 373.15 K the viscosity values change smoothly between those for the two pure components.

From the density results, molar excess volumes were derived, which were correlated using the Redlich–Kister equation; the final expression includes the functionality with both concentration and temperature.     

Automatic kinetic determination of Hg(II) by anodic stripping potentiometry with constant current oxidation

A new kinetic method for the determination of Hg(II) is proposed. It is based on the kinetic evolution of the anodic stripping potentiometric curves yielded by a gold electrode previously coated with mercury upon passage of constant electrical currents. The method features a linear determination range between 40 and 800 ppb of Hg(II) and a relative standard deviation of 5% (n = 9) for a mercury concentration of 200 ppb. The experiments were conducted on a customized automatic set-up, and instrumentation, data acquisition and processing were all governed by means of a QBASIC program (PSAKINEL) written by the authors.     

Valgran, a program for potentiometric titrations with a versatile automatic modular system

A very flexible modular system for use with a portable IBM PC for potentiometric titrations is described. The appropriate software has been developed in order to obtain automatic end-points, and conventional, first-derivative, second-derivative and Gran curves, as well as a listing of the potentiometric points expressed in different ways. All these alternatives are selectable on menu presentations. The potentiometric system has been applied both the research and routine problems.     

New (k; r)-arcs in the projective plane of order thirteen

A (k;r)-arc $\cal K$ is a set of k points of a projective plane PG(2, q) such that some r, but no r +1 of them, are collinear. The maximum size of a (k; r)-arc in PG(2, q) is denoted by m _r (2, q). In this paper a (35; 4)-arc, seven (48; 5)-arcs, a (63; 6)-arc and two (117; 10)-arcs in PG(2, 13) are given. Some were found by means of computer search, whereas the example of a (63; 6)-arc was found by adding points to those of a sextic curve $\cal C$ that was not complete as a (54; 6)-arc. All these arcs are new and improve the lower bounds for m _r (2, 13) given in [10, Table 5.4]. The last section concerns the nonexistence of (40; 4)-arcs in PG(2, 13).     

Pseudoconvex and disprisoning homogeneous sprays

The pseudoconvex and disprisoning conditions for geodesics of linear connections are extended to the solution curves of general homogeneous sprays. The main result is that pseudoconvexity and disprisonment are jointly stable in the fine topology on the space of all homogeneous sprays of any degree of homogeneity.Partially supported by NSF grant INT-8921666.     

The adsorption of hydrogen on face centered tetragonal FePd surfaces

Adsorption of hydrogen on the ordered FePd face centered tetragonal alloy is investigated using a tight binding theoretical method. The changes in the electronic structure and bonding in the (100), (110) and (111) surfaces are analyzed. A simplified model for H diffusion to the bulk is also developed. The H-surface bond is achieved at the expense of the metal-metal bond being the Pd-Pd the more affected in the (100) and (110) cases.     

A new kinetic photometric method for the simultaneous determination of metals based on catalytic and activating effects

Summary The potential use of the activating effect of Pb(II) on the Mn(II)-catalysed oxidation of Tiron by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline for the simultaneous determination of the two metals was investigated. The results obtained allowed the development of a new kinetic photometric method for the simultaneous determination of Pb(II) and Mn(II). The catalysed reaction was monitored by the initial rate method, which was applied to absorbance-time curves. Different Mn(II) concentrations were used to construct calibration graphs by plotting the slopes of the photometric curves obtained against the Mn(II) concentration at each Pb(II) concentration assayed. A new calibration graph was obtained in terms of the Pb(II) concentration from the slopes of such graphs. By applying the standard-addition method to the sample to be assayed a third graph was obtained, the slope and intercept of which provided the analytical concentration of Pb(II) and Mn(II), respectively. The optimized values of the different variables involved were used to determine Mn(II) and Pb(II) over the concentration ranges 1–5 and 200–800 ng/ml, respectively.     

Simultaneous kinetic thermometric determination of V(V) and W(VI) traces by the inhibitory effect of W(VI) on the V(V)-catalysed oxidation of thiosulphate ion by hydrogen peroxide

Summary A new method for the simultaneous kinetic thermometric determination of V(V) and W(VI) traces based on the inhibitory effect of the latter ion on the catalytic action of the former on the oxidation of thiosulphate ion by hydrogen peroxide was developed. A universal mathematical model for the kinetics of the process which includes the catalytic and inhibitory effects of the species involved and relies on the standard-addition and Newton-Gauss methods facilitates the determination. The applicability ranges of the proposed method are 0.1–0.8 ppm V(V) and 1–14 ppm W(VI). The method is subject to few interferences, of which those from Fe(III) and Mo(VI), which also catalyse the analytical reaction, are the most serious.