Anti-plane elastodynamic analysis of planes with multiple defects

The solution of a screw dislocation under time-harmonic condition is obtained in an infinite isotropic plane by means of the Fourier transform method. The stress components reveal the familiar Cauchy singularity at the location of dislocation. The solution is employed to derive integral equations for a plane weakened by cracks and cavities. Cavities are considered as closed curved cracks without singularity. Several examples are solved and the stress intensity factor of cracks and hoop stress on cavities are obtained.     

Atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate using copper-based homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts

This study aimed at polymerization of methyl methacrylate with novel catalysts in the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) condition at 90 °C. This was accomplished using CuBr/N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (CuBr–AEAPTMS) as a homogeneous catalyst and one time with CuBr@AEAPTMS/SBA-15 as a heterogeneous catalyst. Catalysts were characterized using TGA, FT-IR, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The structural analysis of the polymer was carried out by ¹³C NMR spectroscopy and GPC. Three characteristic parts of polymer produced by ATRP method including the initiator, monomer units, and end group was shown in ¹³C NMR spectra. In addition, the presence of C–Br unit showed that the polymerization process is alive. The ¹H NMR analysis was used for kinetic investigation of methyl methacrylate polymerization with homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts that showed high monomer conversion (98 and 90% after 35 min, respectively) and good control of molecular weight with a dispersity (Р= 1.5–1.7). In addition, the plot of ln ([monomer]₀/[monomer] _t ) versus time gave linear relationships indicating a constant concentration of the propagating species throughout the polymerization. Finally, the results of the polymerization using heterogeneous catalyst compared with homogeneous catalyst revealed that it was according to ATRP method.     

Adsorption Studies of Radionuclides and Toxic Metal Ions on a Modified Mesoporous Lanthanum(III) Silicate

A new adsorbent, modified mesoporous lanthanum(III) silicate, has been prepared with various molar ratios of Si/La (10, 20, 40, 80) and cethyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as structure directing agent. XRD, nitrogen sorption, SEM, IR, thermogravimetry and sorption of radionuclides and toxic metal ions have been studied. The results show that adsorption amount of some element such as Pb(II) and Th(IV) has been increased significantly by incorporation of lanthanum ions in the framework of adsorbent. Separation of Co(II)‐Th(IV), Co(II)‐U(VI) and Mo(VI)‐U(VI) has been developed on columns of this adsorbent.     

Simultaneous Determination of Ultra Trace of Uranium and Cadmium by Adsorptive Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry Using H‐Point Standard Addition Method

A sensitive adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry with H‐point standard addition method for simultaneous determination of uranium and cadmium has been developed. The trace amounts of these metal ions can be simultaneously determined using the Levodpa as complexing agent. Optimal conditions were: accumulation time 50 s, accumulation potential 0.0 mV, scan rate 40 mV s^?1, supporting electrolyte 0.1 M ammonium buffer pH 9.6, and 1×10^?5 M of Levodopa. The results revealed that the cadmium and uranium could be simultaneously determined by H‐point standard addition method with different concentration ratios of uranium to cadmium. The method was successfully applied in a several of real samples.     

Determination of BTEX Compounds by Dispersive Liquid–Liquid Microextraction with GC–FID

Rapid, inexpensive, and efficient sample-preparation by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) then gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC–FID) have been used for extraction and analysis of BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) in water samples. In this extraction method, a mixture of 25.0 μL carbon disulfide (extraction solvent) and 1.00 mL acetonitrile (disperser solvent) is rapidly injected, by means of a syringe, into a 5.00-mL water sample in a conical test tube. A cloudy solution is formed by dispersion of fine droplets of carbon disulfide in the sample solution. During subsequent centrifugation (5,000 rpm for 2.0 min) the fine droplets of carbon disulfide settle at the bottom of the tube. The effect of several conditions (type and volume of disperser solvent, type of extraction solvent, extraction time, etc.) on the performance of the sample-preparation step was carefully evaluated. Under the optimum conditions the enrichment factors and extraction recoveries were high, and ranged from 122–311 to 24.5–66.7%, respectively. A good linear range (0.2–100 μg L⁻¹, i.e., three orders of magnitude; r ² = 0.9991–0.9999) and good limits of detection (0.1–0.2 μg L⁻¹) were obtained for most of the analytes. Relative standard deviations (RSD, %) for analysis of 5.0 μg L⁻¹ BTEX compounds in water were in the range 0.9–6.4% (n = 5). Relative recovery from well and wastewater at spiked levels of 5.0 μg L⁻¹ was 89–101% and 76–98%, respectively. Finally, the method was successfully used for preconcentration and analysis of BTEX compounds in different real water samples.

     

XHSTT: an XML archive for high school timetabling problems in different countries

We present the progress on the benchmarking project for high school timetabling that was introduced at PATAT 2008. In particular, we announce the High School Timetabling Archive XHSTT-2011 with 21 instances from 8 countries and an evaluator capable of checking the syntax of instances and evaluating the solutions.     

A Full-Newton Step Infeasible Interior-Point Algorithm Based on Darvay Directions for Linear Optimization

We present a full-Newton step primal-dual infeasible interior-point algorithm based on Darvay’s search directions. These directions are obtained by an equivalent algebraic transformation of the centering equation. The algorithm decreases the duality gap and the feasibility residuals at the same rate. During this algorithm we construct strictly feasible iterates for a sequence of perturbations of the given problem and its dual problem. Each main iteration of the algorithm consists of a feasibility step and some centering steps. The starting point in the first iteration of the algorithm depends on a positive number ξ and it is strictly feasible for a perturbed pair, and feasibility steps find strictly feasible iterate for the next perturbed pair. By using centering steps for the new perturbed pair, we obtain strictly feasible iterate close to the central path of the new perturbed pair. The algorithm finds an ?-optimal solution or detects infeasibility of the given problem. The iteration bound coincides with the best known iteration bound for linear optimization problems.