Structure of rings with certain conditions on zero divisors. (Q2469033)

Let \(R\) be a ring and \(N\) the set of all nilpotent elements; and let \(P\) be the set of all potent elements -- i.e. \(P=\{x\in R\mid x^n=x\) for some \(n>1\}\). Call \(R\) weakly periodic if \(R=P+N\); and call \(R\) a \(D^*\)-ring if every zero divisor \(x\) can be written as \(x=a+b\), with \(a\in P\), \(b\in N\), and \(ab=ba\). This condition on zero divisors can determine the structure of \(R\); and the authors give structure theorems for several classes of \(D^*\)-rings, including weakly periodic, Artinian, and semiprime. They also study structure of certain \(D^*\)-rings in which all zero divisors are potent.