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.     

Propriétés statistiques des entiers friables

Let Ψ(x,y) (resp. Ψ_m(x,y)) denote the number of integers not exceeding x that are y-friable, i.e. have no prime factor exceeding y (resp. and are coprime to m). Evaluating the ratio Ψ_m(x/d,y)/Ψ(x,y) for 1≤slantd≤slantx, m≥slant 1, x≥slant y≥slant 2, turns out to be a crucial step for estimating arithmetic sums over friable integers. Here, it is crucial to obtain formulae with a very wide range of validity. In this paper, several uniform estimates are provided for the aforementioned ratio, which supersede all previously known results. Applications are given to averages of various arithmetic functions over friable integers which in turn improve corresponding results from the literature. The technique employed rests mainly on the saddle-point method, which is an efficient and specific tool for the required design.2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: Primary—11N25; Secondary—11K65, 11N37     

Séries trigonométriques à coefficients arithmétiques

Journal d'Analyse Mathématique -     

Combined supercritical-fluid chromatography/mass spectrometry in the analysis of diuron in plasma using on-line phase-system switching

On-line sample pretreatment by means of the phase-system switching approach is an interesting technique for the analysis of aqueous samples, e.g., plasma, by means of supercritical-fluid chromatography. In order to analyse plasma samples the following analytical procedure is used. The plasma sample is injected on to a short precolumn, which is washed with water and subsequently dried with nitrogen. Next, the solutes are desorbed with the supercritical mobile phase, analysed with packed-column supercritical-fluid chromatography and detected with either a UV detector or a mass spectrometer, equipped with a moving-belt interface. The herbicide diuron is selected as a test compound to study the feasibility of this approach. Using a selective detector the procedure is sufficiently sensitive to detect diuron in plasma, but not appropriate to detect the diuron metabolites in a post-mortem plasma sample. These have been identified with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. The detection limit of diuron in plasma using the procedure described is about 30 ng/mL.     

Involutions for upper triangular matrix algebras

In this paper we describe completely the involutions of the first kind of the algebra UT_n(F) of n×n upper triangular matrices. Every such involution can be extended uniquely to an involution on the full matrix algebra. We describe the equivalence classes of involutions on the upper triangular matrices. There are two distinct classes for UT_n(F) when n is even and a single class in the odd case.Furthermore we consider the algebra UT₂(F) of the 2×2 upper triangular matrices over an infinite field F of characteristic different from 2. For every involution *, we describe the *-polynomial identities for this algebra. We exhibit bases of the corresponding ideals of identities with involution, and compute the Hilbert (or Poincaré) series and the codimension sequences of the respective relatively free algebras.Then we consider the *-polynomial identities for the algebra UT₃(F) over a field of characteristic zero. We describe a finite generating set of the ideal of *-identities for this algebra. These generators are quite a few, and their degrees are relatively large. It seems to us that the problem of describing the *-identities for the algebra UT_n(F) of the n×n upper triangular matrices may be much more complicated than in the case of ordinary polynomial identities.     

Estimating Sampling Errors in REA Survey: A Model Approach for the Synthetic Presentation of Results for Main Variables Involved in Economic Analysis

A new sample business survey for agriculture, the REA survey, and a project of integration with the FADN network (RICA in Italy) have significantly changed the production of statistical information nowadays available with reference to the agricultural sector. On the basis of this relevant information, new economic analyses are being developed on farms’ performance, agricultural households’ income and the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). In this paper the authors estimate the relationship between the levels of variables of interest and their sampling errors using models in order to improve the accessibility of the information on estimates accuracy to the final users (agricultural analysts, policy makers). The paper is the result of a joint research of the three authors. Sections 1–3 and 6 by Pizzoli, Sects. 4 and 5 by Rondinelli, Sect. 7 by Filiberti, conclusions joint to the three authors.     

A microspectroscopic study of the electronic homogeneity of ordered and disordered Sr2FeMoO6

Disordered Sr₂FeMoO₆ shows a drastic reduction in saturation magnetization compared to highly ordered samples, moreover magnetization as a function of the temperature for different disordered samples shows qualitatively different behaviours. We investigate the origin of such diversity by performing spatially resolved photoemission spectroscopy on various disordered samples. Our results establish that e_xtensive electronic inhomogeneity, arising most probably from an underlying chemical inhomogeneity in disordered samples, is responsible for the observed magnetic inhomogeneity. It is further pointed out that these inhomogeneities are connected with composition fluctuations of the type Sr₂Fe_1+x Mo_1-x O₆ with Fe-rich (x > 0) and Mo-rich (x < 0) regions. Dedicated to Prof J Gopalakrishnan on his 62nd birthday.