Study of the influence of some DCCAs on the structure of sol–gel silica membranes

We obtained silica gel membranes by sol–gel processing. In order to study the effect of some drying control chemical additives, we used an alkoxide/additive molar ratio of 1/1. The performance of the drying additives in obtaining crack-free gels was evaluated through monolithicity measurements. The structural evolution occurring in the interconnected network of the membranes during thermal treatment was monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, structural density measurements and nitrogen gas sorption. The degree of cross-linking of the silica network was inferred from the frequency of the Si–O(Si) vibration in the range. We noted that in the presence of formamide and N,N-dimethylformamide, the Si–O–Si bonds are stronger and belong to a more cross-linked structure. Changes in the chemical properties of the membranes, evaluated by quantities of molecular water and silanol groups on their surface, were monitored by absorption bands in the range of 3800–3000 cm⁻¹. Membranes obtained with additives have surfaces covered by a large content of isolated silanol groups even when annealed at 800 °C. The membrane obtained in the presence of amide has larger pore volume and its pore structure is in the range of mesoporosity. The membranes without additive and with propylene carbonate are microporous. Formamide and N,N-dimethylformamide allowed the preparation of crack-free membranes stabilized at high temperatures.     

Acid-base ionization equilibria of 1-(2-carbamylethyl) imidazole and its 2-methyl and 2-ethyl derivatives

The acid and base ionization constants of 1-(2-carbamylethyl)-2-alkylimidazoles, as well as the acid ionization constants of acrylamide and acetamide, have been determined by potentiometry. Concentration constants at 10.0, 25.0 and 40.0 degrees and I = 0.1M (KNO(3)) were measured. From plots of log K vs. 1/T the thermodynamic parameters (DeltaH and DeltaS) of the ionization reactions were calculated.     

Complexity of the normalization of algebras

We introduce and develop new techniques to study the complexity of normalization processes of graded algebras. The construction of a new degree function on graded modules, with a global nature, permits a broad extension of recent bounds for the length of the chains of subalgebras that general algorithms must transverse to build the integral closure, particularly of blowup algebras. It achieves this by relating the values of the new degree with invariants of the algebra known ab initio. As a by-product, it reveals new inequalities among Hilbert coefficients. The second author was partially supported by the NSF.     

Preconditioned iterative methods for coupled discretizations of fluid flow problems

Computational fluid dynamics, where simulations require largecomputation times, is one of the areas of application of highperformance computing. Schemes such as the SIMPLE (semi-implicitmethod for pressure-linked equations) algorithm are often usedto solve the discrete Navier-Stokes equations. Generally theseschemes take a short time per iteration but require a largenumber of iterations. For simple geometries (or coarser grids)the overall CPU time is small. However, for finer grids or morecomplex geometries the increase in the number of iterationsmay be a drawback and the decoupling of the differential equationsinvolved implies a slow convergence of rotationally dominatedproblems that can be very time consuming for realistic applications.So we analyze here another approach, DIRECTO, that solves theequations in a coupled way. With recent advances in hardwaretechnology and software design, it became possible to solvecoupled Navier-Stokes systems, which are more robust but implyincreasing computational requirements (both in terms of memoryand CPU time). Two approaches are described here (band blockLU factorization and preconditioned GMRES) for the linear solverrequired by the DIRECTO algorithm that solves the fluid flowequations as a coupled system. Comparisons of the effectivenessof incomplete factorization preconditioners applied to the GMRES(generalized minimum residual) method are shown. Some numericalresults are presented showing that it is possible to minimizeconsiderably the CPU time of the coupled approach so that itcan be faster than the decoupled one.     

On The Structure Of Gorenstein Ideals Of Deviation Two

The purpose of this short paper is to give a structure theorem for certain Gorenstein ideals.     

On the integral closure of ideals

Among the several types of closures of an ideal I that have been defined and studied in the past decades, the integral closure has a central place being one of the earliest and most relevant. Despite this role, it is often a difficult challenge to describe it concretely once the generators of I are known. Our aim in this note is to show that in a broad class of ideals their radicals play a fundamental role in testing for integral closedness, and in case , is still helpful in finding some fresh new elements in . Among the classes of ideals under consideration are: complete intersection ideals of codimension two, generic complete intersection ideals, and generically Gorenstein ideals. Received: 28 July 1997     

Rheology of concentrated alumina-polyelectrolyte systems

Rheological properties of concentrated alumina suspensions using a charged copolymer as the dispersant have been studied. The non-Newtonian behavior of these fluids was characterized and correlated to potential measurements and sedimentation column data, obtained with these dispersions. As a result, a clear relationship between dispersion stability and pseudoplastic/dilatant rheological behavior was established.