Phase diagram of the relaxor (1−x)Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 investigated by dielectric and Raman spectroscopies

Lead zinc niobate-lead titanate[(1−x)Pb(Zn_1/3Nb_2/3)O₃-xPbTiO₃] (PZN-PT) crystals with x=4.5% and x=12% have been investigated using dielectric and Raman measurements over a range of temperatures. Above room temperature, dielectric measurements show that both compositions exhibit structural phase transitions according to the phase diagram proposed by Kuwata et al. [Ferroelectrics 387 (1981) 579]. Below room temperature, an anomaly at around 180 K for the x=12% sample is observed, suggesting another phase transition. Raman measurements are used to study all phase transitions.     

Size-controllable synthesis of nanosized-TiO2 anatase using porous Vycor glass as template

In this paper we report the synthesis and characterization of TiO₂ nanocrystal dispersed into a porous Vycor glass. We have obtained very small TiO₂ nanocrystals in the anatase form. The nanocrystal size is controlled via the mass increment only thus preventing the growth through the coalescence process. The nanocrystal size was monitored through transmission electron microscope and Raman scattering. The␣coalescence control is attributed due to the obtention of nanocrystals dispersed into the host and to the terminal bonds present in the porous which act as an anchor thus resulting in a low diffusion of the nanocrystals through the porous network.     

High density polyethylene/hydrogenated oligo(cyclopentadiene) blends: Phase structure,thermal and mechanical properties

The article discusses the influence of an oligomeric resin, hydrogenated oligo (cyclopentadiene) (HOCP), on the morphology and properties of its blends with high density polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE/HOCP blends after solidification contain three phases: the crystalline phase of HDPE and two amorphous phases, one rich in amorphous HDPE and the other in HOCP. DSC thermograms and the loss modulus behaviors show that the γ transition is influenced by HOCP molecules and, in addition to the α_c transition of HDPE, there is another transition that is attributed to the HOCP-rich phase. The hypothesis of the two amorphous phases is confirmed by the optical microscopy observations performed on isothermally crystallized blend films. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Microbial hydroxylation of sclareol by Rhizopus stolonifer

Incubation of sclareol with Rhizopus stolonifer affords in high yield a mixture of triols with 18-hydroxy-sclareol as the main component.     

Complemented congruences on Ockham algebras

An Ockham algebra that satisfies the identity is called a K_{n, m}-algebra. Generalizing some results obtained in [2], J. Varlet and T. Blyth, in [3, Chapter 8], study congruences on K_{1, 1}-algebras. In particular, they describe the complement (when it exists) of a principal congruence and characterize these congruences that are complemented. In this paper we study the same question for K_{n, m}-algebras. Received March 24, 2005; accepted in final form April 28, 2005.     

Dynamics of tournaments: the soccer case

A random walk-like model is considered to discuss statistical aspects of tournaments. The model is applied to soccer leagues with emphasis on the scores. This competitive system was computationally simulated and the results are compared with empirical data from the English, the German and the Spanish leagues and showed a good agreement with them. The present approach enabled us to characterize a diffusion where the scores are not normally distributed, having a short and asymmetric tail extending towards more positive values. We argue that this non-Gaussian behavior is related with the difference between the teams and with the asymmetry of the scores system. In addition, we compared two tournament systems: the all-play-all and the elimination tournaments.     

k-Core organization of complex networks

We analytically describe the architecture of randomly damaged uncorrelated networks as a set of successively enclosed substructures--k-cores. The k-core is the largest subgraph where vertices have at least k interconnections. We find the structure of k-cores, their sizes, and their birthpoints--the bootstrap percolation thresholds. We show that in networks with a finite mean number zeta2 of the second-nearest neighbors, the emergence of a k-core is a hybrid phase transition. In contrast, if zeta2 diverges, the networks contain an infinite sequence of k-cores which are ultrarobust against random damage.