On the pivot structure for the weighing matrix W(12,11)

In the present article we concentrate our study on the growth problem for the weighing matrix W(12,11) and show that the unique W(12,11) has three pivot structures. An improved algorithm for extending a k × k (0,+,-) matrix to a W(n,n-1), if possible, has been developed to simplify the proof. For the implementation of the algorithm special emphasis is given to the notions of data structures and parallel processing.     

Tchebychev acceleration technique for large scale nonsymmetric matrices

Summary The acceleration by Tchebychev iteration for solving nonsymmetric eigenvalue problems is dicussed. A simple algorithm is derived to obtain the optimal ellipse which passes through two eigenvalues in a complex plane relative to a reference complex eigenvalue. New criteria are established to identify the optimal ellipse of the eigenspectrum. The algorithm is fast, reliable and does not require a search for all possible ellipses which enclose the spectrum. The procedure is applicable to nonsymmetric linear systems as well.     

Synthesis of functional polymers—Vinylidene fluoride based fluorinated copolymers and terpolymers bearing bromoaromatic side‐group

The radical co‐ and terpolymerization of 4‐[(α,β,β‐trifluorovinyl)oxy]bromo benzene (TFVOBB) with 1,1‐difluoroethylene (or vinylidene fluoride, VDF, or VF₂), hexafluoropropene (HFP), perfluoromethyl vinyl ether (PMVE), and chlorotrifluroroethylene (CTFE) is presented. Although TFVOBB could be thermocyclodimerized, it could not homopolymerize under radical initiation. TFVOBB could be copolymerized in solution under a radical initiator with VDF or CTFE comonomers, while its copolymerization with HFP or PMVE were unsuccessful. The terpolymerization of TFVOBB with VDF and HFP, or VDF and PMVE, or VDF and CTFE also led to original fluorinated terpolymers bearing bromoaromatic side‐groups. The conditions of co‐ and terpolymerization were optimized in terms of the nature of the radical initiators, and of the nature of solvents (fluorinated or nonhalogenated). Various monomer concentrations in the co‐ and terpolymers were assessed by ¹⁹F and ¹H‐NMR spectroscopy. The thermal and physico chemical properties were also studied. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5077–5097, 2004     

Mg 2p shallow core-level and local atomic structure of i-ZnMgRE quasicrystals

We present a detailed analysis of the Mg 2p shallow core-levels measured on icosahedral single-grain ZnMgY, ZnMgHo, and ZnMgEr quasicrystals during a photoelectron microscopy study. The synchrotron radiation photoemission measurements were performed on in situ cleaved samples at a pressure of 10⁻¹⁰ mbar and at low temperature, typically 90-150 K. The Mg 2p photoemission lines are essentially broadened as compared to those of the Mg 2p spin-orbit doublet recorded on the Zn₂Mg crystalline Laves phase. The broadening is associated to the coordination shifts of the Mg 2p level due to the inequivalent magnesium sites in the quasicrystalline lattice. The coordination shifts are calculated on the basis of i-ZnMg(Ho, Y) atomic structure data, recently determined from the pair distribution function analysis. The coordination shifts obtained are up to 0.2 eV. The Mg 2p experimental spectral intensity is nicely reproduced by a superposition of coordination-shifted Mg 2p spin-orbit doublets.     

Fluorinated,crosslinkable terpolymers based on vinylidene fluoride and bearing sulfonic acid side groups for fuel‐cell membranes

The radical terpolymerization of 8‐bromo‐1H,1H,2H‐perfluorooct‐1‐ene with vinylidene fluoride (VDF) and perfluoro(4‐methyl‐3,6‐dioxaoct‐7‐ene) sulfonyl fluoride is presented. Changing the feed compositions of these three fluorinated comonomers enabled us to obtain different random‐type poly[vinylidene fluoride‐ter‐perfluoro(4‐methyl‐3,6‐dioxaoct‐7‐ene) sulfonyl fluoride‐ter‐8‐bromo‐1H,1H,2H‐perfluorooct‐1‐ene] terpolymers containing various sulfonyl fluoride and brominated side groups. Yields higher than 70% were reached in all cases. The hydrolysis of the sulfonyl fluoride group into the ? SO₃Li function in the presence of lithium carbonate was quantitatively achieved without the content of VDF being affected, and so dehydrofluorination of the VDF base unit was avoided. These original terpolymers were then crosslinked via dangling bromine atoms in the presence of a peroxide/triallyl isocyanurate system, which produced films insoluble in organic solvents such as acetone and dimethylformamide (which totally dissolved uncured terpolymers). The acidification of ? SO₃Li into the ? SO₃H function enabled protonic membranes to be obtained. The thermal stabilities of the crosslinked materials were higher than those of the uncured terpolymers, and their electrochemical performances were investigated. According to the contents of the sulfonic acid side functions, the ion‐exchange capacities ranged from 0.6 to 1.5 mequiv of H⁺/g, whereas the water uptake and conductivities ranged from 5–26% (±11%) and from 0.5 to 6.0 mS/cm, respectively. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4566–4578, 2006     

Function spaces over GO-spaces: Part I

We describe the structure of spaces of continuous step functions over GO-spaces. We establish a relation between the Dedekind completion of a GO-space L and properties of the space of continuous functions from L to 2 with finitely many steps. We use the established relation to prove that a countably compact GO-space L has Lindelöf Cp(L) iff the Dedekind remainder of L is Lindelöf and every compact subspace of L is metrizable. Or equivalently, a countably compact GO-space L has Lindelöf Cp(L) iff every compact subspace of L is metrizable and a Gδ-set in L. Other results are obtained.     

A characterization of the \Sigma_1-definable functions of KP\omega + (uniform\; AC)

The subject of this paper is a characterization of the -definable set functions of Kripke-Platek set theory with infinity and a uniform version of axiom of choice: . This class of functions is shown to coincide with the collection of set functionals of type 1 primitive recursive in a given choice functional and . This goal is achieved by a G?del Dialectica-style functional interpretation of and a computability proof for the involved functionals. Received October 9, 1996     

Why is space three-dimensional and how may groups be seen?

First we propose a model of visual perception essentially based on the Keldysh-Chernavsky-Sossinsky three-channel theorem, from which three-dimensionality of space follows. Second, we associate with a system of subgroups H ₁, ..., H_s of a given group G a geometric object, called a group crystal, in order to visualize G. How this notion works is illustrated via the Burnside problem.     

Large deviations for martingales with some applications

Let(X _i ) be a martingale difference sequence. LetY be a standard normal random variable. We investigate the rate of uniform convergence