Swelling of physically cross-linked copolymers in water vapour

A general thermodynamic equation for the swelling of a cross-linked polymer system in the vapour of a swelling agent has been derived under isothermal and isobaric conditions. The equation is used to describe the equilibrium uptake of water by elastomers Arnitel^® (DSM), which are hard-soft-segment block copolymers in which the hard segments poly(butylene terephthalate) crystallise and are responsible for a physical cross-linking. The gravimetrically determined degrees of swelling of different elastomers in water vapour of various partial pressures are analysed and discussed by the application of an extended semi-empirical swelling equation of Flory-Huggins-Staverman-van Santen.     

On guaranteed stability of uncertain linear systems via linear control

This paper addresses the problem of stabilizing an uncertain linear system. The uncertaintyq(·) which enters the dynamics is nonstistical in nature. That is, noa priori statistics forq(·) are assumed; only boundsQ on the admissible variations ofq(·) are taken as given. The results given here applied to so-called matched systems differ from previous results in two ways. Firstly, the stabilizing control in this paper is linear; for this same class of problems, many of the existing results would require a nonlinear control. Furthermore, those results which do in fact yield linear controls are only valid when a certain matrix (q) (formed using the given data) is negative definite for allq Q. In contrast, the theory given here only requires compactness of the bounding setQ. Secondly, we show that the so-called matching conditions (used in earlier work) can be generalized so as to encompass a larger class of dynamical systems.This research was supported by the US Department of Energy under Contract No. ET-78-S-01-3390.     

An intermediate spherical model of a ferromagnet

A one-parameter family of partition functions is considered which for zero value of the parameter reduces to the spherical model of a ferromagnet. The model for > 0 is closer to the usual discrete lattice spin model of a ferromagnet than is the spherical model. The first four terms in of the limiting value of the partition function are calculated above and below the critical temperature for arbitrary interactions using the saddle point method to calculate certain correlation functions for the spherical model. These calculations indicate that the critical temperature is independent of for small and certain interactions.Part of this research appeared in the author's doctoral thesis.⁽³⁾     

Subsolidus phase relations and crystal structure of compounds in the PrOx-CaO-CuO system

The subsolidus phase relations of the PrO_x-CaO-CuO pseudo-ternary system sintered at 950-1000°C have been investigated by X-ray powder diffraction. In this system, there exist one compound Ca₁₀Pr₄Cu₂₄O₄₁, one Ca₂Pr₂Cu₅O₁₀-based solid solution, seven three-phase regions and two two-phase regions. The crystal structures of Ca₁₀Pr₄Cu₂₄O₄₁ and Ca₂Pr₂Cu₅O₁₀-based solid solution have been determined. Compound Ca₁₀Pr₄Cu₂₄O₄₁ crystallizes in an orthorhombic cell with space group D_2h²⁰−Cccm, Z=4. Its lattice parameters are a=11.278(2) Å, b=12.448(3) Å and c=27.486(8) Å. The crystal structure of Ca₂Pr₂Cu₅O₁₀-based solid solution is an incommensurate phase based on the orthorhombic NaCuO₂ type subcell. The lattice parameters of the subcell of the Ca_2.4Pr_1.6Cu₅O₁₀ are a₀=2.8246(7) Å, b₀=6.3693(5) Å, c₀=10.679(1) Å, and those of the orthorhombic superstructure are with a=5a₀, b=b₀, c=5c₀. The Ca_2.4Pr_1.6Cu₅O₁₀ structure can also be determined by using a monoclinic supercell with space group C_2h⁵−P2₁/c, Z=4, a=5a₀, b=b₀, and β=104.79(1)° or 136.60(1)°, V=5a₀b₀c₀.     

Monte Carlo simulation of phase separation and clustering in the ABV model

As a model for a binary alloy undergoing an unmixing phase transition, we consider a square lattice where each site can be either taken by an A atom, a B atom, or a vacancy (V), and there exists a repulsive interaction between AB nearest neighbor pairs. Starting from a random initial configuration, unmixing proceeds via random jumps of A atoms or B atoms to nearest neighbor vacant sites. In the absence of any interaction, these jumps occur at jump rates _A and _B, respectively. For a small concentration of vacancies (c _v=0.04) the dynamics of the structure factorS(k,t) and its first two momentsk ₁(t),k ₂ ² (t) is studied during the early stages of phase separation, for several choices of concentrationc _B of B atoms. Forc _B=0.18 also the time evolution of the cluster size distribution is studied. Apart from very early times, the mean cluster sizel(t) as well as the moments of the structure function depend on timet and the ratio of the jump rates (= _B/ _A) only via a scaled timet/(). Qualitatively, the behavior is very similar to the direct exchange model containing no vacancies. Consequences for phase separation of real alloys are briefly discussed.     

Value function and optimality conditions for semilinear control problems

This paper is concerned with optimal control problems of Mayer and Bolza type for systems governed by a semilinear state equationx(t)=Ax(t) + f(t, x(t), u(t)), u(t) U, whereA is the infinitesimal generator of a strongly continuous semigroup in a Banach spaceX. We prove necessary and sufficient conditions for optimality and then use these conditions to investigate properties of the value function related to superdifferentials. Conversely, we use the value function to obtain criteria for optimality and feedback systems.Work (partially) supported by the Research Project Equazioni di evoluzione e applicazioni fisicomatematiche (M.U.R.S.T.-Italy).     

Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of positive solutions to algebraic Riccati equations with indefinite quadratic term

Necessary and sufficient conditions are established in this paper for the existence of positive- and/or negative-definite solutions to the algebraic Riccati equation with indefinite coefficient. An iterative procedure is also given for computing such a solution.Project supported by the National Science Foundation of China and by the special program of the State Education Commission of China under grant 9033507.     

Capture by stabilized continuum: Classical and quantum aspects

We review here the results of our investigations concerning chaotic atomic scattering in the presence of a laser field. Particular emphasis is put on the existence of classical stable resonance structures, induced by the intense laser field, which are embedded in the field-free continuum. We show that phase space structures in the vicinity of a resonance island play an important role in the chaotic scattering behavior and form the basis for a mechanism to enhance the lifetimes of the collisional partners. Quantum calculations, based on a wave packet propagation method, show that quantum solutions are strongly influenced by the classical phase space structures. More specifically, a wave packet is found to spread differently in the regular and chaotic regions; in the latter case it spreads exponentially with time until saturation occurs, defining the saturation time. We also investigate the dependence of the spreading rates in both the regular and chaotic regimes. Calculations with an ensemble of classical trajectories are also presented to further illustrate the smoothing effects of varying.     

Numerical solution of minimax problems of optimal control,part 1

This paper contains general transformation techniques useful to convert minimax problems of optimal control into the Mayer-Bolza problem of the calculus of variations [Problem (P)]. We consider two types of minimax problems: minimax problems of Type (Q), in which the minimax function depends on the state and does not depend on the control; and minimax problems of Type (R), in which the minimax function depends on both the state and the control. Both Problem (Q) and Problem (R) can be reduced to Problem (P).For Problem (Q), we exploit the analogy with a bounded-state problem in combination with a transformation of the Jacobson type. This requires the proper augmentation of the state vectorx(t), the control vectoru(t), and the parameter vector , as well as the proper augmentation of the constraining relations. As a result of the transformation, the unknown minimax value of the performance index becomes a component of the parameter vector being optimized.For Problem (R), we exploit the analogy with a bounded-control problem in combination with a transformation of the Valentine type. This requires the proper augmentation of the control vectoru(t) and the parameter vector , as well as the proper augmentation of the constraining relations. As a result of the transformation, the unknown minimax value of the performance index becomes a component of the parameter vector being optimized.In a subsequent paper (Part 2), the transformation techniques presented here are employed in conjunction with the sequential gradient-restoration algorithm for solving optimal control problems on a digital computer; both the single-subarc approach and the multiple-subarc approach are discussed.This research was supported by the National Science Foundation, Grant No. ENG-79-18667, and by Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Contract No. F33615-80-C3000. This paper is a condensation of the investigations reported in Refs. 1–7. The authors are indebted to E. M. Coker and E. M. Sims for analytical and computational assistance.