On Some Integral Equations in Hilbert Space with an Application to the Theory of Elasticity

A Volterra type integral equation in a Hilbert space with an additional linear operator L and a spectral parameter depending on time is considered. If the parameter does not belong to the spectrum of L unconditional solvability of the considered problem is proved. In the case where the initial value of the parameter coincides with some isolated point of the spectrum of the operator L sufficient conditions for solvability are established. The obtained results are applied to the partial integral equations associated with a contact problem of the theory of elasticity.     

Hamiltonian N2‐locally connected claw‐free graphs

A graph G is N₂‐locally connected if for every vertex ν in G, the edges not incident with ν but having at least one end adjacent to ν in G induce a connected graph. In 1990, Ryjá?ek conjectured that every 3‐connected N₂‐locally connected claw‐free graph is Hamiltonian. This conjecture is proved in this note. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 48: 142–146, 2005     

A finiteness result for Heegaard splittings

In this paper we show that for a given 3-manifold and a given Heegaard splitting there are finitely many preferred decomposing systems of 3g−3 disjoint essential disks. These are characterized by a combinatorial criterion which is a slight strengthening of Casson-Gordon's rectangle condition. This is in contrast to fact that in general there can exist infinitely many such systems of disks which satisfy just the Casson-Gordon rectangle condition.     

Synthesis and association of poly(N,N‐dimethylacrylamide) copolymers with perfluorocarbon pendent groups connected through polyethylene‐glycol tethers

The synthesis is reported of copolymers of N,N‐dimethylacrylamide (DMA) and methacrylates containing 2,2′‐dihydroperfluorodecanoyl (RF) groups separated from the methacrylate by long polyethylene glycol (PEG) tether groups (between 1000 and 14,000 Da). At concentrations of between 1 and 8 wt % the copolymers with macromonomer contents of 1 mol % or less give gels in organic solvents such as dioxane, THF, or methanol, as well as in water. Given the low molecular weights, this indicates very efficient association of very low numbers of RF groups. Association and gel formation is enormously enhanced in the presence of longer PEG tethers. This is consistent with smaller poly(N,N,‐dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) intermolecular excluded volume effects that are mediated by the longer PEG tethers and possibly by the incompatibility of PEG and PDMA that may lead to the formation of PEG microdomains. This increases the local concentrations of the RF groups in the PEO domains that are not diluted by the PDMA chains, as would be the case in the absence of PEG tethers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 360–373, 2004     

Polymerization of 1,3‐dienes with functional groups. III. Free‐radical polymerization of N,N‐diethyl‐2‐methylene‐3‐butenamide

Free‐radical homo‐ and copolymerization behavior of N,N‐diethyl‐2‐methylene‐3‐butenamide (DEA) was investigated. When the monomer was heated in bulk at 60 °C for 25 h without initiator, rubbery, solid gel was formed by the thermal polymerization. No such reaction was observed when the polymerization was carried out in 2 mol/L of benzene solution with with 1 mol % of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as an initiator. The polymerization rate (R_p) equation was R_p ∝ [DEA]^1.1[AIBN]^0.51, and the overall activation energy of polymerization was calculated 84.1 kJ/mol. The microstructure of the resulting polymer was exclusively a 1,4‐structure where both 1,4‐E and 1,4‐Z structures were included. From the product analysis of the telomerization with tert‐butylmercaptan as a telogen, the modes of monomer addition were estimated to be both 1,4‐ and 4,1‐addition. The copolymerizations of this monomer with styrene and/or chloroprene as comonomers were also carried out in benzene solution at 60 °C. In the copolymerization with styrene, the monomer reactivity ratios obtained were r₁ = 5.83 and r₂ = 0.05, and the Q and e values were Q = 8.4 and e = 0.33, respectively. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 999–1007, 2004     

Hollow latex particles as submicrometer reactors for polymerization in confined geometries

A method was developed for free‐radical polymerization in the confines of a hollow latex particle. Hollow particles were prepared via the dynamic swelling method from polystyrene seed and divinylbenzene and had hollows of 500–1000 nm. So that these hollow poly(divinylbenzene) particles could function as submicrometer reactors, the particles were filled with a monomer (N‐isopropylacrylamide) via the dispersion of the dried particles in the molten monomer. The monomer that was not contained in the hollows was removed by washing and gentle abrasion. Free‐radical polymerization was then initiated by γ radiolysis in the solid state. Transmission electron microscopy showed that poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) formed in the hollow interior of the particles, which functioned as submicrometer reactors. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5706–5713, 2004     

Synthesis and characterization of well‐defined diblock and triblock copolymers of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) and poly(ethylene oxide)

Well‐defined diblock and triblock copolymers composed of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) were successfully synthesized through the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) with PEO capped with one or two dithiobenzoyl groups as a macrotransfer agent. ¹H NMR, Fourier transform infrared, and gel permeation chromatography instruments were used to characterize the block copolymers obtained. The results showed that the diblock and triblock copolymers had well‐defined structures and narrow molecular weight distributions (weight‐average molecular weight/number‐average molecular weight < 1.2), and the molecular weight of the PNIPAM block in the diblock and triblock copolymers could be controlled by the initial molar ratio of NIPAM to dithiobenzoate‐terminated PEO and the NIPAM conversion. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 4873–4881, 2004     

CATALYSIS OF POLYSTYRENE N-HYDROXYL SULFONAMIDE FOR ESTERIFICATION OF BUTANOL WITH ACETIC ANHYDRIDE

1. INTRODUCTION The development of efficient polymer-supported catalysts has attracted much attention [1]. For obtaining polymeric catalysts, catalytically active groups were introduced onto polymers mostly by copolymerization of the appropriate monomers bearing the desired catalyticfunctionalities (e.g. imidazole, OH, and COOH) or by modification of preformed polymers.Another possibility involves the attachment of side chains, containing the desired arrangement of functional groups, o…