Error estimation in the approximation of the solution of nonlinear fuzzy Fredholm integral equations

Using a fixed point technique, the sequence of successive approximations and a recent quadrature formula for fuzzy-number-valued functions, it is constructed a numerical method for the solution of nonlinear fuzzy Fredholm integral equations. Moreover, the error estimate of the method and a criterion to stop the corresponding algorithm are given.     

Bistable hybrids in sol–gel technology for switching devices

Development of memories based on organic soft materials is a current industrial niche aimed at the upper contacts flash memories. The electrical bistability of such materials makes them ideal candidates for cost-effective, fast-programming switching devices. Hybrid thin films of SiO₂ with Rose Bengal (bis-triethylammonium) dopant are here reported for the first time, together with their characterisations. Technology-wise the main advantage of the films is the possibility to cast photolithographically, which is also cost-effective. The physical and chemical stability of the films yields reproducible devices, from both the microtechnological and electrical point of view.     

Co-pyrolysis of pine cone with synthetic polymers

Biomass from pine cone (Pinus pinea L.) was co-pyrolyzed with synthetic polymers (PE, PP and PS) in order to investigate the effect of biomass and plastic nature on the product yields and quality of pyrolysis oils and chars. The pyrolysis temperature was of 500 °C and it was selected based on results from thermogravimetric analysis of the studied samples. Co-pyrolysis products namely gases, aqueous and tar fraction coming from biomass, oils from synthetic polymers and residual char were collected and analyzed. Due to the synergistic effect in the pyrolysis of the biomass/polymer mixtures, higher amounts of liquid products were obtained compared to theoretical ones. To investigate the effect of biomass content on the co-pyrolysis, the co-pyrolysis of pure cellulose as model natural polymer for biomass with polymer mixture was also carried out. In the presence of cellulose, degradation reaction leading to more gas formation and less char yield was more advanced than in the case of co-pyrolysis with pine cone. Co-pyrolysis gave polar oxygenated compounds distributed between tar and aqueous phase and hydrocarbon oils with composition depending on the type of synthetic polyolefin. Co-pyrolysis chars had higher calorific values compared to pyrolysis of biomass alone.     

The bondons: the quantum particles of the chemical bond

By employing the combined Bohmian quantum formalism with the U(1) and SU(2) gauge transformations of the non-relativistic wave-function and the relativistic spinor, within the Schrödinger and Dirac quantum pictures of electron motions, the existence of the chemical field is revealed along the associate bondon particle B̶ characterized by its mass (m_B̶), velocity (v_B̶), charge (e_B̶), and life-time (t_B̶). This is quantized either in ground or excited states of the chemical bond in terms of reduced Planck constant ħ, the bond energy E_bond and length X_bond, respectively. The mass-velocity-charge-time quaternion properties of bondons’ particles were used in discussing various paradigmatic types of chemical bond towards assessing their covalent, multiple bonding, metallic and ionic features. The bondonic picture was completed by discussing the relativistic charge and life-time (the actual zitterbewegung) problem, i.e., showing that the bondon equals the benchmark electronic charge through moving with almost light velocity. It carries negligible, although non-zero, mass in special bonding conditions and towards observable femtosecond life-time as the bonding length increases in the nanosystems and bonding energy decreases according with the bonding length-energy relationship Ebond[kcal/mol]×Xbond[A0]=182019, providing this way the predictive framework in which the B̶ particle may be observed. Finally, its role in establishing the virtual states in Raman scattering was also established.     

Microstructure,mechanical properties,and corrosion resistance of Ti-20Zr alloy in undoped and NaF doped artificial saliva

The corrosion behavior of a new, advanced Ti-20Zr alloy with α+β microstructure (determined by optical microscopy, XRD, and SEM) and very good mechanical properties (obtained from the stress-strain curve) is studied in this paper. The composition of the alloy native passive film was determined from a XPS analysis and the long-term corrosion resistance in undoped and doped states with 0.05M NaF artificial Carter-Brugirard saliva of different pH values, simulating the severe functional conditions of a dental implant, was analyzed by electrochemical methods. This alloy possesses an advantageous balance between good mechanical resistance and plasticity and Young’s modulus and exhibits more favorable electrochemical parameters and corrosion resistance than CP Ti due to its more resistant passive layer containing Ti₂O₃, TiO₂, and ZrO₂ protective oxides. After 1000 h of immersion in saliva, the protective properties of the alloy were enhanced due to the deposited surface layer that incorporated protective phosphates (shown by SEM and XPS).     

A Spectral-SAR Model for the Anionic-Cationic Interaction in Ionic Liquids: Application to Vibrio fischeri Ecotoxicity

Within the recently launched the spectral-structure activity relationship (S-SAR) analysis, the vectorial anionic-cationic model of a generic ionic liquid is proposed, along with the associated algebraic correlation factor in terms of the measured and predicted activity norms. The reliability of the present scheme is tested by assessing the Hansch factors, i.e. lipophylicity, polarizability and total energy, to predict the ecotoxicity endpoints of wide types of ionic liquids with ammonium, pyridinium, phosphonium, choline and imidazolium cations on the aquatic bacteria Vibrio fischeri. The results, while confirming the cationic dominant influence when only lipophylicity is considered, demonstrate that the anionic effect dominates all other more specific interactions. It was also proved that the S-SAR vectorial model predicts considerably higher activity for the ionic liquids than for its anionic and cationic subsystems separately, in all considered cases. Moreover, through applying the least norm-correlation path principle, the complete toxicological hierarchies are presented, unfolding the ecological rules of combined cationic and anionic influences in ionic liquid toxicity.     

Friction-based sorting

Since computer processing mainly depends on sorting and searching methods, a key problem is how to design efficient algorithms in order to solve such problems. This paper describes a new nature-inspired mechanism (called Friction-based Sorting) capable of sorting a given set of numbers. The main idea behind this mechanism is to associate a ball (whose weight is proportional to the considered number) to each number. All the balls being allowed to fall in the presence of friction, the heaviest ball (which corresponds to the greatest input number) will reach the ground first and the lightest ball (associated with the smallest number) will reach the ground last. The proposed mechanism is analyzed, together with its strengths and weaknesses.     

Synthesis and characterization of polyurethane cationomer/MMT hybrid composite

BACKGROUND: The development of polymeric nanocomposites incorporating intercalated or exfoliated layered silicate clays into the organic matrix has been substantially motivated by the significant improvements induced by the presence of the inorganic component. Moreover, understanding and controlling the dispersion of inorganic layers into segmented polyurethane matrices by means of ionic interactions, and exploiting these interactions to enhance physicomechanical behaviour, could be of great interest in the field of polymer nanocomposites. RESULTS: New cationic polyurethane elastomers were prepared starting from poly(butylene adipate)diol (M_n = 1000 g mol^?1), 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 1,4‐butanediol and N‐methyldiethanolamine or N,N′‐β‐hydroxyethylpiperazine, used as potential quaternizable moieties. The characterization of the polymers was achieved using specific analyses employed for the macromolecular samples (Fourier transform infrared and ¹H NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), gel permeation chromatography). An extension of our research on polymers reinforced with organically modified montmorillonite (OM‐MMT) in order to prepare hybrid composites with improved properties was performed and the resulting materials were characterized using TGA, X‐ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Also, the mechanical properties of the cationic polyurethane/OM‐MMT composites were investigated in comparison with the pristine ionic/non‐ionic polymers and their composites containing non‐ionic polymer blended with OM‐MMT or ionic polymer and unmodified MMT. CONCLUSION: The insertion of the organically modified clay into the polymeric matrix gave an improvement of the mechanical properties of the polyurethane composites, especially the tensile strength and stiffness of the hybrid materials. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

THE DISCIPLE–RKF LEARNING AND REASONING AGENT

Over the years we have developed the Disciple theory, methodology, and family of tools for building knowledge-based agents. This approach consists of developing an agent shell that can be taught directly by a subject matter expert in a way that resembles how the expert would teach a human apprentice when solving problems in cooperation. This paper presents the most recent version of the Disciple approach and its implementation in the Disciple–RKF (rapid knowledge formation) system. Disciple–RKF is based on mixed-initiative problem solving , where the expert solves the more creative parts of the problem and the agent solves the more routine ones, integrated teaching and learning , where the agent helps the expert to teach it, by asking relevant questions, and the expert helps the agent to learn, by providing examples, hints, and explanations, and multistrategy learning , where the agent integrates multiple learning strategies, such as learning from examples, learning from explanations, and learning by analogy, to learn from the expert how to solve problems. Disciple–RKF has been applied to build learning and reasoning agents for military center of gravity analysis, which are used in several courses at the US Army War College.