New Advances in Stability Research of Nonlinear Systems: From Asymptotic Stability to Predefined-Time Stability

A special issue of Mathematics (ISSN 2227-7390).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 278

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mathematics and Statistics, South Central Minzu University, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: stability analysis of nonlinear systems; synchronization control; memristive neural networks; fixed/predefined-time control
College of Science, Wuhan University of Science and Technology Wuhan, Wuhan 430065, China
Interests: finite/fixed/predefined-time stability analysis and synchronization control of complex systems, including stochastic systems, time-delay systems, neural networks, and more

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Stability analysis is a fundamental research issue in control theory, providing critical theoretical support for control systems in real-world implementations. The primary objective of stability research is to examine whether a system can maintain its desired dynamic behavior when subjected to disturbances or parameter variations. Unlike linear systems, stability analysis of nonlinear systems presents greater complexity. The most conventional research direction for nonlinear systems is asymptotic stability within the framework of Lyapunov stability theory. This methodology involves constructing a radially unbounded, differentiable energy function and examining its derivative along system trajectories; if the derivative is negative-definite, global asymptotic stability can be concluded. However, the key limitation of asymptotic stability lies in its infinite convergence time, which fails to meet the requirements of many control applications, such as finite/fixed-time motion realization for robotic manipulators or fixed-time attitude regulation of spacecraft and unmanned surface vehicles. In recent years, therefore, finite/fixed-time stability analyses for nonlinear systems have emerged as active research frontiers. Although finite/fixed-time stability guarantee finite convergence time, the settling times depend on system parameters and cannot be arbitrarily predefined. To address this limitation, predefined-time stability has been introduced. Its settling time is independent of system parameters and can be specified in advance. This flexibility and practicality have positioned predefined-time stability as a current research focus. This Special Issue will serve as a platform to showcase cutting-edge advancements in the stability analysis of nonlinear systems.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Asymptotic stability, stabilization, and synchronization of nonlinear systems;
  • Finite-time stability, stabilization, and synchronization of nonlinear systems;
  • Fixed-time stability, stabilization, and synchronization of nonlinear systems;
  • Predefined-time stability, stabilization, and synchronization of nonlinear systems;
  • Chaos control and applications of complex networks, neural networks, and circuit systems;
  • Bifurcation analysis and control of population systems;
  • Adaptive control and event-triggered control of nonlinear systems.

We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions.

Prof. Dr. Guodong Zhang
Dr. Chen Guici
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • complex networks
  • neural networks and circuit systems
  • time-delayed systems
  • population systems
  • stability
  • chaos control
  • bifurcation analysis
  • stabilization
  • synchronization
  • finite-time stability
  • finite-time stabilization
  • finite-time synchronization
  • fixed-time stability
  • fixed-time stabilization
  • fixed-time synchronization
  • predefined-time stability
  • predefined-time stabilization
  • predefined-time synchronization

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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