The effect of compatibilization and rheological properties of polystyrene and poly(dimethylsiloxane) on phase structure of polystyrene/poly(dimethylsiloxane) blends

The compatibilization effect of polystyrene (PS)‐poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) diblock copolymer (PS‐b‐PDMS) and the effect of rheological properties of PS and PDMS on phase structure of PS/PDMS blends were investigated using a selective extraction technique and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The dual‐phase continuity of PS/PDMS blends takes place in a wide composition range. The formation and the onset of a cocontinuous phase structure largely depend on blend composition, viscosity ratio of the constituent components, and addition of diblock copolymers. The width of the concentration region of the cocontinuous structure is narrowed with increasing the viscosity ratio of the blends and in the presence of the small amount diblock copolymers. Quiescent annealing shifts the onset values of continuity. The experimental results are compared with the volume fraction of phase inversion calculated with various theoretical models, but none of the models can account quantitatively for the observed data. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 898–913, 2004     

The interaction between poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and salts in aqueous media: The “salting-out” phenomenon as studied by attenuated total reflection/fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

The effect of two strong salting-out salts (Na₂SO₄ and K₂SO₄) on the temperature-induced phase-separation process in aqueous solutions of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) was examined by attenuated total reflectance/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and viscosity measurements. On the basis of these measurements, a detailed scenario of the phase-separation process was deduced. The phase-separation scenario of solutions containing PNIPA and water was altered in the presence of sulfate ions. Here, the sulfate ions induced partial intrachain collapse, manifested by a relatively compact structure well below the lower critical solution temperature. This led to a more gradual, smooth phase transition, with temperature-resolved intrachain collapse and interchain aggregation and a lesser extent of hysteresis. Although at the macrolevel one may not be able to differentiate among various scenarios altering the solvent into a poor solvent, the aforementioned microlevel measurements provided a way to expose the difference between raising the temperature and adding cosolutes. Follow-up studies on the effect of salting-in salts will be presented. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 33–46, 2004     

Solid Phase Synthesis of 2-Substituted 1,3-Oxazin-6-ones Using Resin-bound Cyclic Malonic Acid Ester

A facile solid phase synthesis of 2-substituted 1,3-oxazin-6-ones using polymer-supported Meldrum‘s acid has been reported. Reaction of the resin-bound cyclic malonic acid ester with triethyl orthoformate and subsequent double substitution with amide, afforded the corresponding polymer-supported acylaminomethylene cyclic malonic acid ester, which upon thermal treatment led to 1, 3-oxazin-6-ones in good yields and with high purity.     

On the Existence of Solutions to Vector Quasivariational Inequalities and Quasicomplementarity Problems with Applications Break to Traffic Network Equilibria

For vector quasivariational inequalities involving multifunctions in topological vector spaces, an existence result is obtained without a monotonicity assumption and with a convergence assumption weaker than semicontinuity. A new type of quasivariational inequality is proposed. Applications to quasicomplementarity problems and traffic network equilibria are considered. In particular, definitions of weak and strong Wardrop equilibria are introduced for the case of multivalued cost functions.     

Carousels,Zindler curves and the floating body problem

A carousel is a dynamical system that describes the movement of an equilateral linkage in which the midpoint of each rod travels parallel to it. They are closely related to the floating body problem. We prove, using the work of Auerbach, that any figure that floats in equilibrium in every position is drawn by a carousel. Of special interest are such figures with rational perimetral density of the floating chords, which are then drawn by carousels. In particular, we prove that for some perimetral densities the only such figure is the circle, as the problem suggests.     

Stable nonequilibrium probability densities and phase transitions for meanfield models in the thermodynamic limit

A nonlinear Fokker-Planck equation is derived to describe the cooperative behavior of general stochastic systems interacting via mean-field couplings, in the limit of an infinite number of such systems. Disordered systems are also considered. In the weak-noise limit; a general result yields the possibility of having bifurcations from stationary solutions of the nonlinear Fokker-Planck equation into stable time-dependent solutions. The latter are interpreted as non-equilibrium probability distributions (states), and the bifurcations to them as nonequilibrium phase transitions. In the thermodynamic limit, results for three models are given for illustrative purposes. A model of self-synchronization of nonlinear oscillators presents a Hopf bifurcation to a time-periodic probability density, which can be analyzed for any value of the noise. The effects of disorder are illustrated by a simplified version of the Sompolinsky-Zippelius model of spin-glasses. Finally, results for the Fukuyama-Lee-Fisher model of charge-density waves are given. A singular perturbation analysis shows that the depinning transition is a bifurcation problem modified by the disorder noise due to impurities. Far from the bifurcation point, the CDW is either pinned or free, obeying (to leading order) the Grüner-Zawadowki-Chaikin equation. Near the bifurcation, the disorder noise drastically modifies the pattern, giving a quenched average of the CDW current which is constant. Critical exponents are found to depend on the noise, and they are larger than Fisher's values for the two probability distributions considered.     

The Downs-Thomson Paradox: Existence, Uniqueness and Stability of User Equilibria

Consider a network where two routes are available for users wishing to travel from a source to a destination. On one route (which could be viewed as private transport) service slows as traffic increases. On the other (which could be viewed as public transport) the service frequency increases with demand. The Downs-Thomson paradox occurs when improvements in service produce an overall decline in performance as user equilibria adjust. Using the model proposed by Calvert [10], with a ⋅|M|1 queue corresponding to the private transport route, and a bulk-service infinite server queue modelling the public transport route, we give a complete analysis of this system in the setting of probabilistic routing. We obtain the user equilibria (which are not always unique), and determine their stability.AMS subject classification: 60K30, 90B15, 90B20, 91A10, 91A13This revised version was published online in June 2005 with corrected coverdate     

随机化交通灯的二维元胞自动机交通模型

元胞自动机交通模型以简单的规则反映交通系统中的多种因素，可以分析各种交通现象，且可在计算机上方便、高效地运作·Ｂｉｈａｍ－Ｍｉｄｄｌｅｔｏｎ－Ｌｅｖｉｎｅ模型（ＢＭＬ模型）实现了二维交通问题的元胞自动机模型的模拟研究·本文对ＢＭＬ模型作了改进，解除了该模型中关于交通灯同步变化的限制·在新模型中，每个路口的交通灯可以自由选定起始工作时间和变化节奏，于是可以更全面、准确地反映交通灯对交通系统性能的影响·本文还对新模型中出现的若干新效应作了解释·     

Monoesterification of styrene–maleic anhydride copolymers with alcohols in ethyl benzene: Catalysis and kinetics

A kinetic investigation on the monoesterification reaction of the maleic anhydride residue (MA) in styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers with aliphatic alcohols was carried out in ethyl benzene solution. By comparison to classic catalysts such as tributylamine (TBA) and pyridine, 4-dimethylaminopyridine (4DMAP) is by far the most effective catalyst for this reaction. While both general base and nucleophilic mechanisms contribute to the reaction catalyzed by TBA or pyridine, a nucleophilic mechanism prevails with 4DMAP. This reaction is reversible, and its chemical equilibrium constant decreases significantly with increasing temperature. Both kinetic and thermodynamic results showed that in the presence of 4DMAP, the forward and reverse reactions are second and first order, respectively. The existence of side reactions, reactivity of two styrene-maleic anhydride copolymers of different MA contents as well as two aliphatic alcohols of different lengths are also addressed. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.