Somewhere between fiction and reality

The influence of various experimental conditions such as sample weight, atmosphere and heating rate on the decomposition of NH₄VO₃, CaCO₃ and V₂O₅ has been investigated. Results obtained clearly indicate that the course of the reactions and — in turn — the kinetic parameters, are not intrinsic to the particular compound and that they characterize rather the combination of experimental conditions and investigated compound. Such a situation makes it almost impossible to choose standard conditions for the calculation of kinetic parameters, because under different circumstances quite different reaction-pathways can occur.On leave from Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland.     

Novel organosilicon dendrons as effective linkers for biomolecules binding on a glass surface

A new, flexible and selective protocol for the synthesis of new organofunctional silicon dendrons of the general formula EtOSi(CH₂CH₂SiMe₂CH₂CH₂SiMe₂R)₃ (where R is an amine or epoxy substituent) has been developed. The title compounds have been efficiently obtained via Karstedt platinum‐catalysed hydrosilylation and linked to a glass surface. Modified solid supports are successfully applied in immobilization of proteins, especially monoclonal antibodies against a wide range of antigens. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Poly-optimization: a paradigm in engineering design in mechatronics

The paper deals with the Engineering Design that is a general methodology of a design process. It is assumed that a designer has to solve a design task as an inverse problem in an iterative way. After each iteration, a decision should be taken on the information that is called a centre of integration in a systematic design system. For this purpose, poly-optimal solutions may be used. The poly-optimization is presented and contrasted against the Multi Attribute Decision Making, and a set of the poly-optimal solutions is defined. Then Mechatronics is defined and its characteristics given, to prove that mechatronic design process vitally needs CAD tools. Three examples are quoted to demonstrate a key role of the poly-optimization in the mechatronic design.     

Epoxy resins modified with reactive low molecular weight siloxanes

A typical composition consisting of a low-molecular commercial epoxy resin based on bisphenol A and aliphatic polyamine hardener: triethylenetetramine was modified by replacing a part of the composition with up to 15 wt.% of low molecular weight bis(glycidylpropyl)- or bis(aminopropyl)-tetramethyldisiloxane. The reactivity of the compositions and basic properties of the resulting epoxy polymers, including glass transition temperature, storage modulus, thermal stability, impact and bending strengths, Brinell hardness, and flammability (limiting oxygen index) were evaluated.     

Integrable variational equations of non-integrable systems

Paper is devoted to the solvability analysis of variational equations obtained by linearization of the Euler-Poisson equations for the symmetric rigid body with a fixed point on the equatorial plain. In this case Euler-Poisson equations have two pendulum like particular solutions. Symmetric heavy top is integrable only in four famous cases. In this paper is shown that a family of cases can be distinguished such that Euler-Poisson equations are not integrable but variational equations along particular solutions are solvable. The connection of this result with analysis made in XIX century by R. Liouville is also discussed.     

Control system design of active seat suspensions

This paper presents an approach to the control system design of seat suspension systems for the active vibration attenuation. The paper presents the studies of the active vibration control strategy based on the reverse dynamics of force actuator and the primary controller. The multi-criteria optimization procedure is utilized in order to calculate the primary controller settings which subsequently define the vibro-isolation characteristics of active suspensions. As an example of the proposed control system design, the seat with a pneumatic suspension is investigated and its vibro-isolation properties are shaped by an appropriate selection of the controller settings.     

Remote measurement of volcanic gases by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Received: 25 March 1998