Determination of molecular weights and Mark–Houwink constants for soluble electronically conducting polymers

Intrinsic viscosities and gel permeation chromatography data were used to evaluate the Mark–Houwink constants of the soluble electronically conducting polymer, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT):K and a are 2.28 × 10^-3 cm³/g and 0.96, respectively, in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at 25°C. Mark–Houwink constants were used to calibrate gel permeation chromatography (GPC) columns for P3HT. Number-average molecular weights of P3HT determined with modified calibration curves agreed well with those determined by an absolute method, embulliometry. Molecular weights estimated using unmodified polystyrene calibration procedures were significantly larger than true values.     

Modulated‐temperature differential scanning calorimetry study of temperature‐induced mixing and demixing in poly(vinylmethylether)/water

The heat capacity or reversing heat flow signal from modulated‐temperature differential scanning calorimetry can be used to measure the onset of phase separation in a poly(vinylmethylether)/water mixture, clearly showing the special type III lower critical solution temperature demixing behavior. Characteristic of this demixing behavior is a three‐phase region, which is detected in the nonreversing heat flow signal. Stepwise quasi‐isothermal measurements through the phase transition show large excess contributions in the (apparent) heat capacity signal, caused by demixing/remixing heat effects on the timescale of the modulation (fast process). These excess contributions and their time‐dependent evolutions (slow process) are useful in understanding the kinetics of phase separation and the morphology (interphase) development. Care has to be taken, however, in interpreting the heat capacity signal derived from the amplitude of the modulated heat flow because nonlinear effects lead to the occurrence of higher harmonics. Therefore, the raw heat flow signal for quasi‐isothermal demixing and remixing measurements is also examined in the time domain. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 1824–1836, 2003     

Characterization and pH stability of insoluble products of the reaction between cyanide and ferrous sulphate

X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR) spectroscopy and⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer effect spectroscopy were used to characterize and monitor the pH stability of cyanide and ferrous sulphate reaction mixtures. Limited information was obtained from the XRD and IR measurements because of the amorphous nature of the samples. The Mössbauer studies show that considerable changes occur when there is an increase in pH at which the sample is prepared. Prussian-blue type compounds and iron oxide in the form of small particles crystallize out at low and high pH values, while additional complexes are formed at intermediate pH values of 6 to 9.⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer effect spectroscopy is thus a powerful technique for monitoring the environmental stability of cyanide waste streams that result when modern methods of extractive metallurgy of gold are employed on mineral ores.     

On functions in p-adic BMO and the distribution of prime integers

We study the spaces BMOp of functions of bounded mean oscillation modeled on a p-adic martingale, and determine their relationship with the ordinary, continuous space BMO of functions of bounded mean oscillation. Somewhat surprisingly, these results are related to information about the distribution of primes.     

On the computation of the optimal cost function for discrete time Markov models with partial observations

We consider several applications of two state, finite action, infinite horizon, discrete-time Markov decision processes with partial observations, for two special cases of observation quality, and show that in each of these cases the optimal cost function is piecewise linear. This in turn allows us to obtain either explicit formulas or simplified algorithms to compute the optimal cost function and the associated optimal control policy. Several examples are presented.Research supported in part by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research under Grant AFOSR-86-0029, in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant ECS-8617860, in part by the Advanced Technology Program of the State of Texas, and in part by the DoD Joint Services Electronics Program through the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFSC) Contract F49620-86-C-0045.     

On congruences of-normal semigroups-normal semigroups

Communicated by G. Lallement