Parametric Quintic-Spline Approach to the Solution of a System of Fourth-Order Boundary-Value Problems

In this paper, we use parametric quintic splines to derive some consistency relations which are then used to develop a numerical method for computing the solution of a system of fourth-order boundary-value problems associated with obstacle, unilateral, and contact problems. It is known that a class of variational inequalities related to contact problems in elastostatics can be characterized by a sequence of variational inequations, which are solved using some numerical method. Numerical evidence is presented to show the applicability and superiority of the new method over other collocation, finite difference, and spline methods.     

Furtivity and Masking Problems in Time-Dependent Electromagnetic Obstacle Scattering

In this paper, we consider furtivity and masking problems in time-dependent three-dimensional electromagnetic obstacle scattering. That is, we propose a criterion based on a merit function to minimize or to mask the electromagnetic field scattered by a bounded obstacle when hit by an incoming electromagnetic field and, with respect to this criterion, we drive the optimal strategy. These problems are natural generalizations to the context of electromagnetic scattering of the furtivity problem in time-dependent acoustic obstacle scattering presented in Ref. 1. We propose mathematical models of the furtivity and masking time-dependent three-dimensional electromagnetic scattering problems that consist in optimal control problems for systems of partial differential equations derived from the Maxwell equations. These control problems are approached using the Pontryagin maximum principle. We formulate the first-order optimality conditions for the control problems considered as exterior problems defined outside the obstacle for systems of partial differential equations. Moreover, the first-order optimality conditions derived are solved numerically with a highly parallelizable numerical method based on a perturbative series of the type considered in Refs. 2–3. Finally, we assess and validate the mathematical models and the numerical method proposed analyzing the numerical results obtained with a parallel implementation of the numerical method in several experiments on test problems. Impressive speedup factors are obtained executing the algorithms on a parallel machine when the number of processors used in the computation ranges between 1 and 100. Some virtual reality applications and some animations relative to the numerical experiments can be found in the website http://www.econ.unian.it/recchioni/w10/.     

Rigid nitronyl-nitroxide-labelled anchoring molecules: syntheses, structural and magnetic investigations

The syntheses of two rigid organic molecular rods bearing a nitronyl-nitroxide radical and a terminal nitrogen-based functionality like a pyridine or a cyano group are reported. Both new paramagnetic molecules are fully characterized, including crystal structure analysis. Furthermore their magnetic behaviours in the crystalline state are investigated and their spin concentration corroborate their excellent purity. While the pyridine functionalized rod is synthesized by converting the corresponding benzaldehyde to the phenyl-nitronyl-nitroxide radical, the synthesis of the cyano functionalized rod demonstrates the accessibility of highly sophisticated spin-labelled molecules via cross-coupling reaction with a meta-iodo-phenyl-nitronyl-nitroxide moiety.     

非弹性体增韧—聚合物增韧的新途径

本文是一篇关于非弹性增韧方法的综述。文章首先简要回顾了传统的橡胶增韧韧性聚合物材料的机理,然后着重介绍了最近在国外出现的刚性有机填料(ROF)增韧的基本概念、分析方法和增韧的冷拉机理,列举了脆性塑料粒子和韧性基体组成的合金体系的大量实验结果来说明以上内容,最后通过与传统橡胶增韧机理的对比指出非弹性体增韧是不同于后者的一种新增韧方法,并有可能成为制备高强度、高韧性工程塑料的一种新途径。     

刚性聚合物稀溶液流变性质的计算 Ⅱ.非定常流动

本文继续前一篇文章讨论描述刚性聚合物稀溶液流变性质的多棒刚杆分子模型,计算了应力发展的非定常剪切流动,结果表明,η~+将有所希望的“过冲”现象,且在无因次时间常数τ≥5后,流变性质达到定常均匀剪切流的结果,同时亦可方便地导得多球刚杆分子模型和无水学相互作用的刚性哑铃模型的结果。这些结果表明,此模型是较为完善的描述刚性聚合物稀溶液的分子模型。本文还对W_e≤0.7的情况作了深入的分析,比较了各阶近似解的计算结果。表明在W_e≤0.7时,用二阶近似解可代替高阶近似解计算,不会造成很大的误差,但可大大缩短计算时间。     

WATER-BLOWN POLYURETHANE RIGID FOAMS MODIFIED BY CHEMICAL PLASTICATION

1. INTRODUCTIONThese years, HCFC-141b may be the most used blowing agent for its useful properties. But, because of its high global warming effect leading to the destruction of the ozone layer, production of HCFC141b has been forbidden. However, there are…     

缩聚合成聚芳酯和聚酯－聚醚弹性体的微相复合物

通过原位直接缩聚反应，制备了刚性棒状聚对羟基苯甲酸酯（ＰＨＢ）和聚对苯二甲酸丁二醇酯－聚四亚甲基醚多嵌段共聚物（ＰＢＴ－ＰＴＭＧ）的微相复合物．复合物可溶于氯仿等溶剂，可以浇铸成膜．本文研究了ＰＨＢ含量和聚合过程中，基体聚合物溶液浓度对微相复合物形态以及力学性能影响．同共混法相比，原位缩聚法可得到分散更均匀，力学性能更优良的微相复合物．     

The role of rigid unit modes in negative thermal expansion

The rigid unit mode (RUM) model provides a valuable computational method to investigate correlations of transverse thermal motions of atoms important in negative thermal expansion (NTE) materials. We report here detailed RUM calculations of ten framework oxide structures that have been studied for their negative (or ultra low) thermal expansion properties. The results negate any simple and direct correlation between presence or absence of RUMs in a structure and its NTE property. All the structures considered can be viewed as networks of polyhedral connected by corners only. All evidence supports the importance the transverse motion of the atoms at the corners, but NTE does not correlate well with the presence RUMs for the polyhedra.     

Molecular composites in thermosets

The synthesis of molecular composites where rigid polymer molecules are reinforcing elements in a thermoset bisimide matrix has been investigated. The approach has been designed to avoid phase separation by selecting systems where reaction of amine-terminated rigid and semiflexible oligomers with maleimide unsaturation occurs prior to crosslinking of the thermoset. This objective has been met for some compositions. The concentration and molecular weight of the rigid oligomers have been varied. The structure of the reinforcing polymer, the reactivity of the maleimide and the conditions for composite synthesis are variables of critical importance, and further work must determine the promise and limitations of this approach.     

Melt-crystallization, glass transition and morphology of a (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate pentamer

The melt-crystallization of an oligo[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] with five repeating units has been analyzed using standard and temperature-modulated calorimetry, optical microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Specimens of different crystallinity and supermolecular structure were generated by variation of the rate of cooling of a quiescent melt, or by variation of the temperature of isothermal crystallization. Completely amorphous samples can be obtained by cooling of the melt at a rate of 40 K min⁻¹, or faster, to a temperature lower than the glass transition. The crystallinity depends on the crystallization temperature. The maximum enthalpy-based crystallinity of about 40-45% is obtained by crystallization at temperatures lower than the temperature of the maximum crystallization rate, which is between 310 and 320 K. Analysis of the apparent heat capacity in metastable structural equilibrium reveals reversible melting at temperatures between 320 and 370 K by observation of an excess heat capacity above the level of the vibrational heat capacity, i.e., in the temperature range of irreversible reorganization and melting. The reversible melting is discussed in the context of coupling of the crystalline and amorphous phases, and compared to earlier studies on oligoethylene and oligo(oxyethylene). The presence of crystals causes formation of a rigid amorphous fraction of about 30% at a crystallinity of 40%. Optical and atomic force microscopy reveal spherulitic crystallization. At relatively high crystallization temperature, and in the early stage of the crystallization process, dendrites are observed which finally yield spherulites of decreased perfection. Larger spherulites of higher perfection grow at relatively low crystallization temperature, as deduced from the appearance of the Maltese cross, and the regularity of banding. The band spacing is less than 5 μm, as is accurately determined by atomic force microscopy. The temperature dependence of the spherulitic growth rate is in accord with the calorimetric analysis of the crystallization rate.