Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Biodegradable Di‐ and Tri‐Block Copolymers Based on Ethylene Carbonate Polymer as Hydrophobic Segment

Synthesis of novel amphiphilic biodegradable block copolymers based on ethylene carbonate is reported in this study. Polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether (MeO‐PEO) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) of varying molar masses are used as macro‐initiator for ring‐opening polymerization of ethylene carbonate in the presence of sodium stannate trihydrate as a heterogeneous transesterification catalyst. Earlier elution of block copolymer from macro‐initiator in size exclusion chromatography (SEC) indicated the successful synthesis of the block copolymers. Ratios of both types of blocks are varied systematically. Liquid chromatography at critical conditions is used for the analysis of the non‐critical individual blocks, and if there are any critical segments that are not attached to the non‐critical block. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the synthesis of ethylene carbonate‐based amphiphilic block copolymers. Chromatographic critical conditions of the ethylene carbonate polymer are also reported for the first time. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 1887–1893     

Bilevel convex programming models

Bilevel convex models are studied after being cast into a parametric programming form. This form has a lexicographic inner-outer structure where the optimal value of the outer model is optimized on the set of optimal solutions of the inner model. Optimal solutions are characterized using a Lagrangian saddle-point approach and a marginal value formula is given for the outer model. These are used to formulate a general method for finding an optimal solution by input optimization.     

Minimum-norm fixed point of nonexpansive mappings with applications

The purpose of this paper is to present two new iterative algorithms to find the minimum norm fixed point of nonexpansive nonself-mappings in the framework of Hilbert spaces. The results presented in this paper improve and extend the corresponding ones announced by Yao and Xu [Yao Y, Xu HK. Iterative methods for finding minimum norm fixed point of mappings with applications. Optimization. 2011;60:645–658] and many others. Some applications to convex minimization and split feast problems(SFP) are also included.     

On the existence of positive solutions of the p‐Laplacian dynamic equations on time scales

In this paper, we investigate the existence of positive solutions for a nonlinear m‐point boundary value problem for the p‐Laplacian dynamic equations on time scales, by applying a Krasnosel'skii's fixed point theorem. As an application, an example is included to demonstrate the main results. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Naturally derived green bio-additives

During the last few years, special attention has been paid by the lubricant industry towards vegetable oil-based lubricants due to their biodegradability, renewability and excellent tribological properties. But to maintain the biodegradability of the final lubricants, the additive in the lubricants must also be biodegradable. Hence, in our present work, multifunctional lubricating oil additive based on castor oil has been investigated as a less toxic, feasible alternative to traditional petroleum based additives. Homopolymer of castor oil and its copolymer with α-pinene were synthesized by a thermal method using azobisisobutyronitrile as a radical initiator. Characterization of the prepared polymers was performed by spectral analysis and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Additive performances of each of the prepared polymers as viscosity index improvers/viscosity modifiers and pour point depressants were carefully evaluated. Photo micrographic image was used to study the effectiveness of the additives as pour point depressants. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was conducted to investigate the thermal response of the additives at high temperature. Finally, biodegradability of all the polymers was tested against fungal pathogen by the disc diffusion method and soil burial test. The study illuminated excellent additive performances of the polymers and thus their potential for acting as entirely naturally derived green bio-additives for lube oil.     

The completeness of the sines and cosines in the space of integrable functions

The paper addresses the completeness of sines and cosines with non-integer indices in the space of Lebesgue-integrable functions. The criteria for the variation from the integer value have been found such that sine and cosine systems are complete.     

直觉I-Fuzzy拓扑空间的杨忠道定理

以L~*-格值上Lukasiewicz蕴含算子为工具引入了直觉I-Fuzzy拓扑空间中导集概念,接着给出它的一些性质,最后证明了直觉I-Fuzzy拓扑空间中导集的杨忠道定理.     

金属氧化物对十氯联苯的降解研究

分别以市售的Fe2O3、MgO和CaO为催化剂,对十氯联苯(CB209)进行了催化降解研究.结果表明,MgO对CB209的降解具有较高的活性.在反应温度为300℃,反应时间为60 min时,MgO对CB209的降解效率达到98.9%.进一步研究表明,MgO催化降解CB209的动力学符合准一级动力学反应.通过GC-MS和GC-ECD,并结合衍生化实验,检测到九氯联苯、五氯苯和四氯苯、五氯苯酚、四氯苯酚和三氯苯酚等降解产物,进而推测出MgO催化降解CB209的过程中存在相互竞争的反应路径:氧化反应、碳碳桥键断裂和加氢脱氯.     

Critical temperatures of elements from their boiling points

A linear relation between critical temperature and boiling point is proposed for elements belonging to the same group in the periodic table. The validity of the relationship is demonstrated for the alkalies and the groups 16, 17 and 18. From this the critical temperature of tellurium is predicted as 2325?K and that for polonium as 2277?K.