Miscibility of bisphenol-A polycarbonate with poly(methyl methacrylate)

The miscibility of bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) has been reexamined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and optical indications for phase separation on heating, i.e., lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior. Various methods have been used to prepare the blends including methylene chloride (CH₂Cl₂) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution casting, melt mixing, and precipitation of PC and PMMA simultaneously from THF solution by using the nonsolvents methanol and heptane. It is shown that the resulting phase behavior for PC/PMMA blends is strongly affected by the blend preparation method. However, these blends are miscible over the whole blend composition range (unambiguous single composition-dependent T_g's and LCST behavior) when prepared by precipitation from solution using heptane as the nonsolvent. To the contrary, solution-cast and melt-mixed PC/PMMA blends were all phase separated, which may be attributed to the “solvent” effect and LCST behavior, respectively, not discovered in previous reports. Methanol precipitation does not lead to fully mixed blends, which demonstrates the importance of the choice of nonsolvent when using the precipitation method.     

Conformational analysis of dipeptide‐derived polyisocyanides

The conformational properties of polymers derived from isocyanodipeptides have been investigated with a combination of model calculations, X‐ray diffraction, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Depending on the configuration of the side chains, defined arrays of hydrogen bonds along the polymeric backbone are formed. This leads to a well‐defined conformation as, for example, expressed in the formation of lyotropic liquid‐crystalline phases and increased helical stability. Upon the disruption of the hydrogen bonds by a strong acid, a less well‐defined macromolecular conformation is observed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1725–1736, 2003     

Analysis of tunable diode-laser spectra of Q(J,0) lines in CH3F near 1475 cm using a multispectrum fitting technique

We have analyzed the methyl fluoride ^RQ(J,0)Q branch lines located near 1475 cm⁻¹ using a simultaneous multi-spectrum fitting technique. In this analysis we have used previously recorded diode-laser data in which we collected many data points covering only one or two Q branch lines in a particular run. The analysis consists of simultaneously fitting 57 spectra collected with numerous pressure and path length conditions for all absorption lines. The data are concatenated to create one continuous spectrum of the Q branch. We have determined the intensity and self-broadened widths at 296 K for 23 ^RQ(J,0) lines.     

A computer-assisted proof of Saari's conjecture for the planar three-body problem

The five relative equilibria of the three-body problem give rise to solutions where the bodies rotate rigidly around their center of mass. For these solutions, the moment of inertia of the bodies with respect to the center of mass is clearly constant. Saari conjectured that these rigid motions are the only solutions with constant moment of inertia. This result will be proved here for the planar problem with three nonzero masses with the help of some computational algebra and geometry.

     

Erwiderung

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Ein Verfahren zur Trennung des Zinks von allen Metallen seiner Gruppe

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Radiochemical proton activation analysis for the determination of cadmium and lead in sediment reference materials

Proton activation analysis was used for the determination of cadmium and lead in three sediment reference materials. The method is based on the^111,112Cd(p, xn)¹¹¹ In and the^206,207,208Pb(p, xn)²⁰⁶Bi reactions.¹¹¹In and²⁰⁶Bi were chemically separated by anion exchange. The results obtained were taken into account for the certification of the materials and are in the excellent agreement with the certified values.     

Network survivability analysis

Advances in fiber optic and local area network (LAN) technologies are providing system designers with many new options for interconnecting computer equipment. A recurring problem for military system designers, who are end-users of a LAN standard, is implementing LANs so that the survivability, reliability, maintainability, and availability (SRMA) of a system is maximized. LAN standards working groups are currently making design decisions about topologies, components, and protocols that directly affect the SRMA of the end-user's system. This article focuses on a new analytic technique, called “network survivability analysis,” that provides the mathematical tools needed to compare the survivability of arbitrary network topologies. For background, several network metrics are described and their limitations for LAN standards development identified. Network survivability is defined, and several token-passing ring case examples are analyzed. The primary strength of network survivability analysis is that it can be used to provide a quantitative comparison among LAN topologies without knowledge of the end-user's equipment, systems, or environments.