Relationship between the dynamic softening transition and wet sliding friction of elastomer compounds

For properly chosen elastomer compounds, thermorheological characterization is combined with an examination of the variation of the wet sliding friction with temperature. A conceptual argument leads to the assumption that the wet sliding friction should maximize at the energy dissipation peak associated with the dynamic softening transition at a characteristic frequency determined by the sliding speed and the effective smallest surface asperity scale. The dynamic softening transition is characterized with the peak in tan δ/G′ⁿ, where tan δ is the loss tangent, G′ is the elastic modulus, and n is a constant between 0 and 1. The William–Landel–Ferry transform is uncritically applied for extrapolating the position of the peak in tan δ/G′ⁿ at high frequencies. Even based on the criterion of tan δ, the results obtained on a concrete surface indicate that the effective smallest asperity scale is of order of 100 μm. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2467–2478, 2004     

Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis investigation of the thermal properties and degradation of some radiation‐grafted films and membranes

The influence of irradiation and grafting on the crystallinity of three base polymers has been investigated with differential scanning calorimetry. Grafting has the largest effect on the base polymer crystallinity and results in a reduction of the crystallinity. The thermal degradation of the base polymers and grafted films has been investigated with thermogravimetric analysis. The extent of the fluorination of the base polymer, the irradiation method, and the graft level all influence the thermal degradation and its activation energy. It is proposed that the variation of the chain lengths of the grafted polystyrene chains is actually a primary underlying factor responsible for the influence of these various parameters on the degradation process. The first results of a comparative thermal analysis of some fuel‐cell membranes are also presented, and the promise and shortcomings of this method are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2612–2624, 2004     

Baker＇s Yeast Mediated Reduction of Optically Active Diketone

Baker‘s yeast mediated reduction of optically active diketone is described. The two keto groups are efficiently differentiated and the ee value of the recovered material is considerably raised. It affords highly optically active key intermediates efficiently for the synthesis of natural polyhydroxylated agarofuran products.     

Using Form and Function Analogy Object Boxes to Teach Human Body Systems

This study compares the use of form and function analogy object boxes to more traditional lecture and worksheet instruction during a 10th‐grade unit on human body systems. The study was conducted with two classes (N= 32) of mixed ability students at a high‐needs rural high school in central New York State. The study used a pretest/posttest design, in which the two classes alternated between conditions for the four systems (skeletal, digestive, immune, nervous). Both conditions involved students in quality instruction addressing the same concepts for the same amount of time. Additionally, all students participated in hands‐on labs. The experimental condition presented students with a set of objects analogous in form and function to parts of a human body system. Students matched objects with cards describing body system parts, mapped the analogies on a chart, generated alternative objects that could be used for the analogy, and finally, created new analogies for other body system parts. Students made significantly higher posttest and gain scores on material learned in the experimental condition, with a mean gain score average of 12.4 points out of 25, compared to 6.2 points in the control condition. Cohen's Effect Size was large, 1.36.     

Galerkin method for optimal control of second‐order evolution equations

This paper presents the Galerkin approximation of the optimization problem of a system governed by non‐linear second‐order evolution equation where a non‐linear operator depends on derivative of the state of the system. The control is acting on a non‐linear equation. After giving some results on the existence of optimal control we shall prove the existence of the weak and strong condensation points of a set of solutions of the approximate optimization problems. Each of these points is a solution of the initial optimization problem. Finally we shall give a simple example using the obtained results. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling of an underground waste disposal site by upscaling

In this paper, we study the global behaviour of an underground waste disposal in order to have an accurate upscaled model suitable for the computations involved in safety assessment processes. We start from a detailed model describing the transport of pollutant leaking from a high number of units. Using the method of homogenization, going to the limit, we obtain first a macroscopic model where the sources are now appearing globally. Then we compute a first‐order matched asymptotic expansion and we give the error estimates for this approximation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamic boundary stabilization of a Reissner–Mindlin plate with Timoshenko beam

This paper is concerned with well‐posedness results for a mathematical model for the transversal vibrations of a two‐dimensional hybrid elastic structure consisting of a rectangular Reissner–Mindlin plate with a Timoshenko beam attached to its free edge. The model incorporates linear dynamic feedback controls along the interface between the plate and the beam. Classical semigroup methods are employed to show the unique solvability of the coupled initial‐boundary‐value problem. We also show that the energy associated with the system exhibits the property of strong stability. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Artificial boundary conditions for Petrovsky systems of second order in exterior domains and in other domains of conical type

The approximation of solutions to boundary value problems on unbounded domains by those on bounded domains is one of the main applications for artificial boundary conditions. Based on asymptotic analysis, here a new method is presented to construct local artificial boundary conditions for a very general class of elliptic problems where the main asymptotic term is not known explicitly. Existence and uniqueness of approximating solutions are proved together with asymptotically precise error estimates. One class of important examples includes boundary value problems for anisotropic elasticity and piezoelectricity. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mean curvature flows and isotopy of maps between spheres

Let f be a smooth map between unit spheres of possibly different dimensions. We prove the global existence and convergence of the mean curvature flow of the graph of f under various conditions. A corollary is that any area‐decreasing map between unit spheres (of possibly different dimensions) is isotopic to a constant map. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.