Synthesis and characterization of novel polyimides with 2,2‐bis[4(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]phthalein‐3′,5′‐bis(trifluoromethyl)anilide

2,2‐Bis[4(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]phthalein‐3′,5′‐bis(trifluoromethyl)anilide (6FADAP), containing fluorine and phthalimide moieties, was synthesized via the Williamson ether condensation reaction from 1‐chloro‐4‐nitrobenzene and phenolphthalein‐3′,5′‐bis(trifluoromethyl)anilide, which was followed by hydrogenation. Monomers such as 2,2‐bis[4(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]phthalein‐anilide containing phthalimide groups and 2,2‐bis[4(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl]phthalein containing only phthalein moieties were also synthesized for comparison. The monomers were first characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ¹H NMR, ¹⁹F NMR, elemental analysis, and titration and were then used to prepare polyimides with 2,2‐bis(3,4‐dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride. The polyimides were designed to have molecular weights of 20,000 g/mol via off‐stoichiometry and were characterized by FTIR, NMR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. Their solubility, water absorption, dielectric constant, and refractive index were also evaluated. The polyimides prepared with 6FADAP, containing fluorine and phthalimide moieties, had excellent solubility in N‐methylpyrrolidinone, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, tetrahydrofuran, CHCl₃, tetrachloroethane, and acetone, and GPC analysis showed a molecular weight of 18,700 g/mol. The polyimides also exhibited a high glass‐transition temperature (290 °C), good thermal stability (～500 °C in air), low water absorption (1.9 wt %), a low dielectric constant (2.81), a low refractive index, and low birefringence (0.0041). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3361–3374, 2003     

Mesh-Independent Modeling and Moiré Interferometry Studies of Damage Accumulation in Open-Hole Composite Laminates

Mechanics of Composite Materials - A three-dimensional ply-level modeling of multiple matrix cracking near an open hole in a quasi-isotropic composite laminate was performed. A mesh-independent...     

On the dynamic properties of “elastic” interactions between wave solitons consisting of a few field oscillation cycles

By the numerical simulation of the dynamics of the optical circularly polarized field in the Kerr-type medium, it has been shown that the binary collisions between wave solitons consisting of a few field oscillation cycles with respect to their energy characteristics exhibit the properties of the collisions of Schrödinger solitons. The corresponding spectral characteristics change according to the conservation of the soliton-like structure of the envelop. In dependence on the absolute difference of the field phases, there are three different interaction regimes: the passage of one structure through another, their repulsion, and the exact replication of one initial wave structure by another.     

A new VOF‐based numerical scheme for the simulation of fluid flow with free surface. Part II: application to the cavity filling and sloshing problems

Finite element analysis of fluid flow with moving free surface has been performed in 2‐D and 3‐D. The new VOF‐based numerical algorithm that has been proposed by the present authors (Int. J. Numer. Meth. Fluids, submitted) was applied to several 2‐D and 3‐D free surface flow problems. The proposed free surface tracking scheme is based on two numerical tools; the orientation vector to represent the free surface orientation in each cell and the baby‐cell to determine the fluid volume flux at each cell boundary. The proposed numerical algorithm has been applied to 2‐D and 3‐D cavity filling and sloshing problems in order to demonstrate the versatility and effectiveness of the scheme. The proposed numerical algorithm resolved successfully the free surfaces interacting with each other. The simulated results demonstrated applicability of the proposed numerical algorithm to the practical problems of large free surface motion. It has been also demonstrated that the proposed free surface tracking scheme can be easily implemented in any irregular non‐uniform grid systems and can be extended to 3‐D free surface flow problems without additional efforts. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Infine Functions, Nonsmooth Alternative Theorems and Vector Optimization Problems

In this paper we introduce a new notion of infine nonsmooth functions and give several characterizations of infineness property. We prove alternative theorems with mixed constraints (i.e., inequality and equality constraints) being described by invex-infine nonsmooth functions. We establish a necessary and sufficient condition for a solution of a vector optimization problem involving mixed constraints to be a properly efficient solution.     

Homoconjugated ketones with extended unsaturation: Wavelength-selective,regioselective, diastereoselective,and enantiospecific photochemical transformations of methyl 7-oxospiro[5.5]undeca-1,3-and -2,4,-diene-2-carboxylate

The title molecules were shown to photorearrange with remarkable selectivity. Wavelength variation steers the rearrangement modes, of which the [1,2]-acyl shift was found to be largely regioselective, diastereoselective, and enantiospecific. Chemical intercorrelation of products and mechanistic studies were carried out all along. The potential significance of these photochemical processes in selective synthetic schemes is discussed.     

The Use of Soft Systems Methodology in Practice

This paper reports the results of a survey intended to discover the extent to which Checkland's Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) is used in practice. Some 300 questionnaires were sent to people who had had some exposure to SSM and, surprisingly, nearly half were returned. The majority described in detail their uses of SSM and most felt that it had been successful. This paper describes the overall quantitative results from the survey as well as presenting a qualitative analysis of the experiences of using SSM.     

Theoretical and Experimental Driving-Point Impedance Results of Resonance Circuits in a Gunn Waveguide Oscillator

The frequency tuning range of waveguide oscillator and its stability depend sensitively on the dimension of the resonance cap. Therefore the driving-point impedances with the various dimensions of the resonance cap are calculated by using HFSS(High Frequency Simulation System). In this paper the comparisons between theoretical results of the driving-point impedances as a function of frequency and that of experimental results are described. The oscillation frequency range could be predicted by using the theoretical evaluation methods which are proposed. It shows that resonance cap size and disc height have an effect on the frequency tuning characteristics of Gunn oscillator.