Existence of the Optimum in Shallow Lake Type Models with Hysteresis Effect

Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications - Pollution management models of Shallow Lake type identify a well-known class of infinite horizon optimal control problems, characterized by the...     

A modulus-based formulation for the vertical linear complementarity problem

Numerical Algorithms - We introduce a modulus-based formulation for vertical linear complementarity problems (VLCPs) with an arbitrary number ? of matrices. This formulation can be used to...     

Fracture behavior and mechanical,thermal, and rheological properties of biodegradable films extruded by flat die and calender

The development of biodegradable materials for tailored applications, particularly in the field of polymeric films and sheets, is a challenging technological goal as well as a contribution to help protect the environment. Poly(lactic) acid (PLA) is a promising substitute for several oil-based polymers; however, to overcome its thermal and mechanical drawbacks, researchers have developed solutions such as blending PLA with polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT), which is capable of increasing the ductility of the final material. In this study, PLA/PBAT binary blends, with minimum possible content of nonrenewable materials, were examined from processing, thermal, morphological, and rheological perspective. An optimized PLA/PBAT ratio was chosen as the polymeric basis to obtain a biodegradable formulation by adding a biobased plasticizer and appropriate fillers to produce a micrometer film with tailored flexibility and tear resistance. The processing technology involved flat-die extrusion, followed by calendering. The tearing resistance of the produced film was investigated, and the results were compared with literature data. A study on the essential work of fracture was implemented to explore the mode III out-of-plane fracture resistance starting from a trouser tear test.     

Enclosure results for quasilinear systems of variational inequalities

In this paper we consider systems of quasilinear elliptic variational inequalities, and prove the existence of minimal and maximal (in the set theoretical sense) solutions within some ordered interval of an appropriately defined pair of sub- and supersolutions. We show that the notion of sub- and supersolutions of variational inequalities introduced here is consistent with the usual notion of sub-supersolutions for (variational) equations. For weakly coupled quasimonotone systems of variational inequalities the existence of smallest and greatest solutions is proved.     

Extension of the chain‐end,free‐volume theory for predicting glass temperature as a function of conversion in hyperbranched polymers obtained through one‐pot approaches

Compared with linear polymers, more factors may affect the glass‐transition temperature (T_g) of a hyperbranched structure, for instance, the contents of end groups, the chemical properties of end groups, branching junctions, and the compactness of a hyperbranched structure. T_g's decrease with increasing content of end‐group free volumes, whereas they increase with increasing polarity of end groups, junction density, or compactness of a hyperbranched structure. However, end‐group free volumes are often a prevailing factor according to the literature. In this work, chain‐end, free‐volume theory was extended for predicting the relations of T_g to conversion (X) and molecular weight (M) in hyperbranched polymers obtained through one‐pot approaches of either polycondensation or self‐condensing vinyl polymerization. The theoretical relations of polymerization degrees to monomer conversions in developing processes of hyperbranched structures reported in the literature were applied in the extended model, and some interesting results were obtained. T_g's of hyperbranched polymers showed a nonlinear relation to reciprocal molecular weight, which differed from the linear relation observed in linear polymers. T_g values decreased with increasing molecular weight in the low‐molecular‐weight range; however, they increased with increasing molecular weight in the high‐molecular‐weight range. T_g values decreased with increasing log M and then turned to a constant value in the high‐molecular‐weight range. The plot of T_g versus 1/M or log M for hyperbranched polymers may exhibit intersecting straight‐line behaviors. The intersection or transition does not result from entanglements that account for such intersections in linear polymers but from a nonlinear feature in hyperbranched polymers according to chain‐end, free‐volume theory. However, the conclusions obtained in this work cannot be extended to dendrimers because after the third generation, the end‐group extents of a dendrimer decrease with molecular weight. Thus, it is very possible for a dendrimer that T_g increases with 1/M before the third generation; however, it decreases with 1/M after the third generation. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 1235–1242, 2004     

Sprouting side chain conformations in X-PLOR simulations of peptides

A scheme for sprouting peptide side chains using X-PLOR is introduced using an example from the collagen system to show how reasonable starting structures for minimization studies may be created. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Degradative chain transfer in vinyl acetate polymerizations using toluene as solvent

In this work, we propose that retardation in vinyl acetate polymerization rate in the presence of toluene is due to degradative chain transfer. The transfer constant to toluene (C_trs) determined using the Mayo method is equal to 3.8 × 10^?3, which is remarkably similar to the value calculated from the rate data, assuming degradative chain transfer (2.7 × 10^?3). Simulations, including chain‐length‐dependent termination, were carried out to compare our degradative chain transfer model with experimental results. The conversion–time profiles showed excellent agreement between experiment and simulation. Good agreement was found for the M_n data as a function of conversion. The experimental and simulation data strongly support the postulate that degradative chain transfer is the dominant kinetic mechanism. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3620–3625, 2007     

New strong interactions: From QCD to LHC

The concept of strong interactions need not be limited to the sector of physics taken by QCD. While this domain is investigated by RHIC, LHC will be able to probe potential new strong interactions simultaneously: Finding the precise mechanism for electroweak symmetry breaking is one of the prime problems of physics. Intricately linked to this point is the question after the true nature or even the existence of the Higgs boson. Here, we present stronly interacting theories providing an explanation for the hierarchy problem and leading to a light composite Higgs boson, favoured by experimental data. Our variation of the standard model is consistent with precision data. We achieve this accordance by using technifermions in a higher representation of their gauge group. Anomaly conditions require at least one extra lepton family for some of the theories whereby they contain a natural dark matter candidate. We can accurately determine the masses of said leptons from experimental data.     

Zeros of functions with finite Dirichlet integral

In this paper, we refine a result of Nagel, Rudin, and Shapiro (1982) concerning the zeros of holomorphic functions on the unit disk with finite Dirichlet integral.