Matrads, biassociahedra, and \(A_{\infty }\)-bialgebras (Q534527)

Let \(H\) be a DG module over a commutative ring \(R\) with identity. In [Homology Homotopy Appl. 7, No. 2, 161--177 (2005; Zbl 1088.55008)], the authors defined an \(A_\infty\)-bialgebra structure on \(H\) in terms of a square-zero \(\circledcirc\)-product on the universal PROP \(U_H=End(TH)\). In the paper under review, the authors take an alternative point of view motivated by the classical construction that a chain map \(\mathcal A_\infty \to U_H\) in the category of non-\(\Sigma\) operads defines an \(A_\infty\)-(co)algebra structure on \(H\). Here, \(\mathcal A_\infty\) is an \(A_\infty\)-operad realized by the cellular chains on the Stasheff associahedra. The authors introduce the notion of a matrad. Then they construct a matrad \(\mathcal H_\infty\) which plays the role of \(\mathcal A_\infty\). They show that a chain map \(\mathcal H_\infty \to U_H\) in the category of matrads defines an \(A_\infty\)-bialgebra structure on \(H\). Furthermore, it is shown that \(\mathcal H_\infty\) is realized by the cellular chains on a new family of polytopes called biassociahedra \(\{KK_{n,m}\}\), of which \(KK_{n,1}=KK_{1,n}\) is the associahedron.